Why, on Resurrection Sunday, when we celebrate the glorious new life of Christ, do we go back to Friday to remember His death? Why go back to the cross? Resurrection Sunday is not a time to shrug off and try to forget Gethsemane and the cross. In heavenly vision, John sees in glory, a lamb as though it had been slain. Even in the excitement and glory of new life, we must remember what makes that restoration and glorification possible. We cannot separate the events of Jesus’ life into compartments to be celebrated at different parts of the year. The incarnation we celebrate at Christmas makes the atonement of Maundy Thursday or Good Friday effective. The resurrection we celebrate today proves the atonement was effective – that it satisfied God’s wrath for our sin. And the resurrection and ascension shows us our future, and what the God-reconciled life looks like.
We see part of our future at this table: we are accepted as sons and daughters to eat and drink at His table, to live in His house forever. And this future is given to you ahead of time, that you may know that it is true now. The message of the cross, the empty tomb, and this full table, is that God loves and accepts us now, as much as He ever will. We don’t have to wait. We can know God’s love and acceptance now, as we believe that Christ died for our sins, and that in His risen life, we too shall rise and live.
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