Acts 2:14,22-32 Psalm 16:1-2, 6-end Matthew 28:8-15
We are the Easter people!
Easter Monday has no significant religious celebration. Some countries in central Europe, especially Poland call today ‘Dyngus Day’. For some reason, lost through the centuries, it is a day when boys throw water over girls, or gently beat them with pussy willow branches! I advise you do not do this! Whereas, it would appear in western culture this is a day of regret from the over indulgence of eating chocolate eggs after the Lenten period of abstinence.
I am particularly drawn to the Messianic Psalm 16, with the New Testament future echoes in the reading from Acts chapter 2.
1 Keep me safe, my God,
for in you I take refuge.
2 I say to the Lord, ‘You are my Lord;
apart from you I have no good thing.’
6 The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
surely I have a delightful inheritance.
7 I will praise the Lord, who counsels me;
even at night my heart instructs me.
8 I keep my eyes always on the Lord.
With him at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.
9 Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices;
my body also will rest secure,
10 because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead,
nor will you let your faithful one see decay.
11 You make known to me the path of life;
you will fill me with joy in your presence,
with eternal pleasures at your right hand.
I find King David’s psalms inspirational, and despite his human flaws, his perception and dedication to God was ahead of his time. For example, in verses 1 & 2, he uses three words for God. Verse one, “God” – the Hebrew word ‘El’ signifying God’s majesty. In verse two, our English translation shows “LORD” and “Lord”, which are ‘Yehhovaw’, which is God’s pre-existent name, whereas the second ‘Lord’ is ‘Adoney’ acknowledging God’s sovereignty. In these two short verses David, asks for protection and acknowledges his sin, as well as offering up threefold praise.
The core message, which David prophesised just over a thousand years before Jesus fulfilled it, was that God would not abandon him to the grave. That is what we are celebrating this Eastertide. But it’s not just for Jesus, the resurrection was the pioneering act for us all to follow. When we ultimately receive our resurrection bodies, having been bought at the cost of the cross by Jesus, we will follow his path of life and be filled with the joy of being in his presence (verse 11).
So, if we rightly celebrate our eternal king’s salvation act for us and the demonstration of the resurrection, shall we see what we can do for him?
God didn’t abandon Jesus and he has promised never to abandon us too.
Prayer
Dear Lord,
We thank you for sending your son to reinstate us to a true relationship with you. Help us to live and work for you in the true realisation of the promise of resurrection and the future prospect of worshipping in your eternal presence. Make known to us the path of life today, that we may walk in it. Hallelujah.
Amen
Tomorrow’s Readings: Acts 2:36-41, Psalm 33:4-5;18-end, John 20:11-18