Acts 2:14a, 22-32
14a Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed [the crowd]: 22 “Fellow Israelites, listen to what I have to say: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with deeds of power, wonders, and signs that God did through him among you, as you yourselves know 23 this man, handed over to you according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of those outside the law. 24 But God raised him up, having released him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for him to be held in its power. 25 For David says concerning him,
‘I saw the Lord always before me,
for he is at my right hand so that I will not be shaken;
26 therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced;
moreover, my flesh will live in hope.
27 For you will not abandon my soul to Hades
or let your Holy One experience corruption.
28 You have made known to me the ways of life;
you will make me full of gladness with your presence.’
29 “Fellow Israelites, I may say to you confidently of our ancestor David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 30 Since he was a prophet, he knew that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would put one of his descendants on his throne. 31 Foreseeing this, David spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah, saying,
‘He was not abandoned to Hades,
nor did his flesh experience corruption.’
32 “This Jesus God raised up, and of that all of us are witnesses.”
‘He was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh experience corruption.’
Alleluia! Christ is Risen!! Insert your appropriate response here…
There is something so earth-shatteringly magnificent about the Resurrection announcement that we proclaim to each other on Easter morning. In many traditions, “Alleluia, Christ is Risen” is the first thing we say when we wake up. It is also the first greeting we speak to everyone we encounter on Easter. I love offering and receiving that greeting as I rush around the church on Easter Morning.
But, there’s always a nagging question in the back of my mind. As Jesus said to Martha at Lazarus’ tomb, “Do you believe this?”. Even as I’m greeting everyone I pass with “Christ is Risen”, the question remains: “Do you believe this?”.
I believe that I do believe that Jesus has been bodily raised from death and that I will be raised in a resurrection like his on the last day. My desire to believe combined with my regular prayer for Jesus to help me in my unbelief leaves me content that I believe as completely as anyone can on this side of the grave.
And that’s where faith comes in. When we proclaim the Paschal Mystery: “Christ has died. Christ is Risen. Christ will come again”. We are affirming our belief in something that cannot be proven or verified. We proclaim it in one way or another every time we gather around The Lord’s Table as a public witness of our faith. There is comfort and strength in that common statement.
“Do you believe this? Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Messiah, the One who is coming into the world”. Today, in the glow of the Resurrection of Our Lord, I affirm that I, too, believe through God’s gift of faith.
Prayer: Lord God: Thank you for your gift of faith that allows me to believe these things which are too wonderful and perfect to make-up on my own. AMEN