Resurrection People

            It is no accident that the butterfly is often used as a symbol for Easter.  They are truly amazing creatures which begin their lives as crawling, munching caterpillars, fall asleep for a while, and then emerge as beautiful, delicate, flying butterflies.  It is one of the best illustrations in all of creation as to what resurrection is like.

            A number of different images are used in the Scriptures in order to describe resurrection.  We read about falling asleep and then waking in the likeness of Christ.  We read about a seed being sown in the ground - perhaps a kernel of wheat - and about how the seed dies in order to sprout and grow as a mature plant (1 Cor. 15:36-38).  We read about a physical body being "planted" in the ground and being raised as a spiritual or heavenly body (1 Cor. 15:40-44).

            One of the things that we learn in all of the accounts of the resurrection of Jesus is that somehow his body was different after he had been raised from the dead.  He had a physical body that could be touched.  He had scars from the nails and the spear.  He could eat and drink.  Yet, people often did not recognize him at first.  He was still Jesus, and he had a body, but he had been changed - transformed.  His resurrection body was different from his earthly body.

            When we think about resurrection for ourselves, we tend to think about a future event that will happen after we die.  Although this is true, resurrection also occurs during this life.  The Scriptures teach us that in baptism, our old self - our sinful self - is put to death and a new self is raised to life (Rom. 6:4-11).  We are described as a "new creation" in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17)!  What about you?  Do you feel like a new creation?

            The thing about the new creation or new growth is that the old growth needs to die in order to make room for the new.  Or --to use the image of the butterfly - the old life of the caterpillar needs to be given up in order to allow the butterfly to emerge.

            There are many comparisons in the Scriptures between the old and the new - the flesh and the Spirit - the earthly and the heavenly.  One of the most detailed comparisons is to be found in Galatians 5.  The things that belong to the old, sinful self are things like these:  jealousy, anger, selfishness, envy, quarreling, sexual promiscuity, drunkenness, idolatry and greed.  However, the new self exhibits some different qualities:  gentleness, love, peace, generosity, self-control, patience, kindness, joy, and faithfulness.

            If you look at those two lists side by side, there is quite a transformation that takes place in those who believe in Jesus Christ.  Of course, this transformation doesn't always happen all at once.  For some people it takes some time to grow out of the old self and to grow up into Christ.

            Still, we do not cause this change to happen all by ourselves.  In fact, it is only the Holy Spirit who can do this.  For our part, we are called to present ourselves and our children for baptism and to nurture the Spirit's work in our lives through prayer and worship and Word and Sacrament.  May we, too, live as resurrection people and continue to grow up into Christ.

            Blessings and peace,