Cheating Death: Zombies, Vampires and ResurrectionCarla Harding - 23 Mar 2016

We absolutely love today's Throwback blog. Ideal for Easter and originally posted in 2014.

"Easter is a true story of death not just cheated, but defeated.  Of real life and eternal love victorious..."

How many ways can we imagine to cheat death? Vampires, werewolves and zombies used to be the stuff of Halloween and horror films. Now, they’re super-human, chiselled romantics that find life and love beyond the grave in Hollywood movies. 

These modern day super-heroes who live the promise of immortal life and youth, fill our bookshelves and cinema listings.  Each reinvention brings new ways to make love conquer all. Even death.

“Who got the last word, oh, Death? Oh, Death, who’s afraid of you now?”

1 Cor 15:55 (The Message)

Easter weekend approaches, and its truth is far more powerful and appealing than our monster-turned-hero tales.  It’s the ultimate love-conquers-all story that the whole of history pivots around.  A man (God) put His own wellbeing aside; allowed himself to be executed so he could remove the barrier between those he loved. 

“It was sin that made death so frightening and law-code guilt that gave sin its leverage, its destructive power. But now in a single victorious stroke of Life, all three—sin, guilt, death—are gone, the gift of our Master, Jesus Christ.”

1 Cor 15:56-57 (The MessaGe)

It wasn’t superpowers that re-animated a corpse, but supernatural power that made Jesus fully, bodily alive in a new way.  Resurrection means death doesn’t have the final say. Jesus is the first of a new humanity made to live in God’s presence and meant for a world without sin, sickness or decay.  No longer is death the full stop that brings our lives up short.  Instead it’s a comma; a breath. 

“The resurrection of Jesus changes the face of death for all His people. Death is no longer a prison, but a passage into God’s presence.  Easter says you can put truth in a grave, but it won’t stay there.” - Clarence W Hall

Easter is a true story of death not just cheated, but defeated.  Of real life and eternal love victorious. 

I wonder whether we need to explore new ways of telling this story to a generation ready to hear it. How can we reveal the profundity of Jesus’ resurrection in a way that promises love, life and hope, not just in the kingdom coming, but through forgiveness and the life giving Spirit available now?

How could we tell and take part in micro-resurrection stories of the Spirit of life let loose in friendships, businesses, neighbourhoods, schools, government and media, through people like you and me? 

This Easter, as we celebrate Jesus alive, let’s take some time to consider the places and people who need to know why He died, why he lives, and what the resurrection Spirit could give them today.