Jerry Gill's Enduring Questions

What should we think about the Easter story?

I’m not talking about the usual stuff like Easter, church, resurrection, or life after death. I didn’t grow up with those things and find it hard to relate to them now. What interests me is the story of Jesus’ suffering, death, and resurrection — what happened, what it means, and how it connects to me.

What has always fascinated me is Jesus’ quietness throughout all the trials and persecutions during his last days. The Jewish leaders, Pilate, and the soldiers all treated him with disdain, and he remained silent. He did not argue, strike back, or threaten them about their future. In short, he stayed true to his character until the end. Jesus simply absorbed the abuse and refused to fight back.

Surprisingly, the gospel accounts seem to show that after His resurrection, Jesus went about things as usual: He comforted His disciples, urged them to continue with the mission He had given them, and even shared a breakfast with them before leaving. It was all so understated and lacked any vengefulness or self-pity. Promises appeared to have been made regarding His return. Then he was gone.

Soon, many people began to believe that somehow Jesus was still alive in their lives and community. They stayed connected, and before long, the Christian church was born. In fact, it has become one of the most influential organizations in the world. More than two thousand years later, amidst the mess we have made, we are still waiting for Jesus’ “return.” What should we make of all this? 

Many of us go through our daily lives trying to follow “the way” Jesus taught us, but it seems increasingly difficult. Virtually millions of people claim to be followers of Jesus’ teachings, yet most of their efforts appear half-hearted at best. Some of us have even decided that we must “go it alone,” hoping that Jesus’ “way” will eventually lead to something like what it promised at the beginning. 

I suppose for myself it has become a matter of saying: the “way” Jesus lived and taught is perhaps an end in itself, to be lived for its own sake because it seems to be true, good, and right. I cannot profess to have much faith in an afterlife, nor does it matter. What does matter is striving to live my life the way Jesus taught, with loving motives and actions toward all people and behavior that matches. As Jesus said to the blind man: “YOUR FAITH HAS MADE YOU WHOLE.”