When You Need A Breakthrough...

I love breakthroughs, especially when things appear impossible!

One ‘impossibility,’ was the plight of Christian missionary doctor, Kent Brantly.  While serving dying Ebola patients in Liberia, Kent himself contracted Ebola, becoming ‘sick unto death.'  And for a good reason: Ebola has a fatality rate up to 90%.  And so if you get Ebola you’re normally ‘done in,’ wasted, ‘a goner.’ For weeks, Kent appeared to be a goner, as Kent became incredibly weak, nauseated; why at one point Kent became so wasted, he couldn’t imagine taking his next breath.  But then Emory University Hospital in Atlanta intervened, offering to ‘take on’ a seemingly impossible situation.  And with that, Kent was flown to Emory, and ‘the rest, as they say, is history,’ as the doctors at Emory treated Kent, bringing Kent ‘back to life,’ reviving him, resurrecting him out of an impossible situation!

If you we're attentive on Easter Sunday, Jesus offers to resurrect us out of an impossible situation.  Not the deadly Ebola virus, but a virus even worst: the deadly virus of self-absorbed, sinful life. For

“…‘flesh and blood…’ self-absorbed, sinful life, Paul notes “…cannot inherit the Kingdom of God…” (1 Corinthians 15:50); it cannot know God’s life.  

In spite of such reality, many of us settle for ‘flesh and blood’; we settle for the ‘same old, same old.'  

As N.T. Wright muses:  

“…Made for joy, we settle for pleasure. Made for justice, we clamor for vengeance. Made for relationship, we insist on our own way. Made for beauty, we are satisfied with sentiment…”

The result:  we stay stuck in common life, filled not just with familiar habits, but bad habits.  A while back, England’s The Daily Mail listed the 50 worst habits, ever; a few follow: biting fingernails, constantly checking Facebook, cracking your knuckles, humming to yourself, speaking with your mouth full, biting the ends of pens, leaving the toilet seat up (that’s just for the men), and my favorite: licking your spoon while baking!  

But in actuality, the worst habit is believing that the worst habit cannot be broken; that the deadliest reality cannot be overcome.

Did you notice: Easter fell on April Fools Day this year (first time since 1956)?  But in spite of that occurrence, Easter is not a trick or a joke. Easter is a reality, declaring that even the deadliest reality, even death itself, can be overcome; that God has a solution to even our gravest problem. 

And so where are things grave for you?  Where you are stuck, immobilized?  Where are you settling for just ‘flesh and blood’? 

Walk in the resurrection and rediscover an all-mighty God!  A God who challenges us to go beyond ‘flesh and blood,’ empowering us to rise from self-absorbed, sinful life, toward the Kingdom of God, -- life as it was meant to be!

That begins as we...

1) Believe: I Can Change; Transformation Is Possible! Most of us are convinced:  ‘I can’t change,’ ‘there’s no way out.’  But Easter begs to differ: there’s always a way out; God makes a way, where there is no way (Isaiah 43:19).  

For the essence of resurrection is transformation.  A transformation that begins with Jesus today, continuing with Jesus for eternity. For Jesus transforms, even death.  

It appears death has the last say, Paul declares in 1 Corinthians 15:51, but in actuality

“…we will all be changed [even when dead].  In a flash, in a twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet, the dead will be raised…changed…” (1 Corinthians 15:52).

Now the details of this end-time resurrection, my resurrection day, your resurrection day, warrants another blog post. But Paul's message is clear:  just as Christ was raised from death, we will be raised from death.  And so transformation is possible, in any and all circumstance.

The reason is the availability of power beyond our power. Don’t misunderstand, willpower, our power, is crucial.  But power beyond our power, God’s power is paramount.  In essence, God's power is resurrection power, and it can grasp us today.  

Translated:  the same power that raised Jesus from the grave is pulsating wherever you are reading these words.  For as Paul clarifies in Romans 8:11

 “…if the Spirit [The Power] of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give [you] life…” (Romans 8:11, emphasis added).   

Scientific analysis of the famed Shroud of Turin details the explosive power of resurrection power. Though some scientists contend the image of Jesus on the Shroud of Turin was caused by radiation from an earthquake, most scientists believe the image of Jesus on the Shroud of Turin was created by an unexplained nuclear flash, equivalent to 125 grams of high explosive TNT, literally jarring the body of Jesus, resurrecting Jesus, in a miraculous way.  

And so as you contemplate your ‘grave problem’ don’t posture as if you have no power!  If you know Jesus, you have power.  

The same power, explosive power, resurrection power, that raised 
Jesus from the dead; that can also raise you from your deadly jam.

But more than raise you, a Risen Christ also animates you, as you...

2) Allow Resurrection Power To ‘Flood’ And Consume Your Days. For resurrection power is meant to literally ‘take over’ life, consuming anything that immobilizes life. Paul is direct in 1 Corinthians 15. The worst of the worst, death, is consumed by the triumph of Easter Day.

To be precise: “Death has been swallowed up in victory…” (1 Corinthians 15:54).

The word swallow means to devour.  Thus, there’s no wiggle room for excuses because of Easter.  Any grave problem can be given to God, and swallowed up!  

Sure: it’s always in God’s time.  But in God’s time ‘the worst of the worst’ is contained and devoured!

There’s a classic Winston Churchill story about an encounter Churchill had with Lady Violet Ashworth. As the tale goes, Lady Ashworth went on and on about the brevity and travail of life, wining about the difficulty of it all.  And with that:  Churchill just played along.  Your right Lady Ashworth, ‘ain’t it awful’. “…Curse our mortality…curse ruthless time… [Why we’re nothing but worms]…we are all [just] worms… [Yes, we’re all just worms.  But Lady Ashworth, Churchill concluded, let me tell you]…I do believe -- I am a glowworm…” 

Because of Easter: we’re all glowworms!  Sure: we’re grubby and grimy.  But because of Easter, even the grim can be swallowed up and transformed! And so sure, to quote Paul in 2 Corinthians 4 –  

“We are like clay jars [earthen vessels, crack pots] in which…treasure is stored.  But [that’s to demonstrate] the real power comes from God and not from us. We often suffer, but we are never crushed. Even when we don’t know what to do, we never give up. In times of trouble, God is with us, and when we are knocked down, we get up again…[Why]…because we know that…just as God raised Jesus, he will also raise us to life [as well]…Therefore we do not lose heart…”  (2 Corinthians 4:7-9; 14; 16).

And so matter the grave problem:  do not lose heart. Rather...  

3) Be Hopeful…Be Resolute…Sharing Resurrection Power!   To quote Paul:  “…Standing firm.  Let nothing move you. Always giving yourself to the work of the Lord…” (1 Corinthians 15:58) – sharing resurrected life.  

It is so easy to allow ‘flesh and blood’ to triumph! But Easter declares: God’s Kingdom can triumph.  God’s life, life as it was meant to be, can have the victory, not self-absorbed, sinful life.  Don’t let self-absorbed, sinful life have the victory!  

Risk, being a glowworm!  But not just a glowworm for self, but a glowworm for others.  For we are more than Easter individuals, we are Easter people.  And as Easter people, we’re called to share the glow of resurrection day with an enlarging circle of folk.  

It’s interesting, right after the angel declares: “He has risen!” (Matthew 28:6), the angel instructs the two Mary’s: “Go quickly and tell his disciples…”  (Matthew 28:7). And “So the women hurried away…and ran to tell his disciples…”  (Matthew 28:8).  

We’re to go quickly, to run, and to tell.  For in spite of the crowds, many persons did not attend Easter services this season, and they have grave problems too.  And so we’re to advance toward them, inviting them in Paul’s words – to

“…know the power of [Christ’s] resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in [Christ’s] sufferings, becoming like [Christ] in his death… [so that they might go on to attain] the resurrection of [Christ, His triumph over]…death…”  (Philippians 3:10+11).  

For Easter has happened.  The gravity of life is lifting.  The darkness is fading.  The sun is rising.  It’s time to wake up, for God’s morning is come!

There’s a gripping story about a Southerner named Tony who’s the only white man buried in a Georgia cemetery reserved for Blacks.  It seems Tony was raised by a Black nanny named Mandy, who had impact, lifting him up.  Most prominent was Mandy’s encouragement every morning. Looking Tony in the eye, Mandy would declare:  “Wake up Tony, God’s morning is come.”  Well the years passed, and Tony grew up, but whenever Tony came home, Mandy would still peek in his room, declaring:  “Wake up Tony, God's morning is come."  Well, the inevitable happened:  Mandy died.  And at the funeral, Tony was grief-stricken.  But what a funeral it was, radiating the resurrection power of Jesus.  After the service, Tony lingered.  “Preacher,” he said.  “Do you know the caretaker of this cemetery?”  “Why he’s right over there.”   And Tony approached the caretaker.  “If I die before Jesus comes," Tony said, “I want to be buried right beside Mandy.”  “Sir” the caretaker said, “you don’t understand:  this is a cemetery for Blacks only.”  “I know” Tony said, “but I’m not taking any chances.  I could very well sleep through the final day, my resurrection day!  So I need Mandy right by my side, saying: "Wake up Tony, God’s morning is come…”

Let me be Mandy:  ‘Wake up, God’s morning is come!’  Don’t sleep through any resurrection day, including this past Easter Day.  For the glory and glow of Jesus, is all around.

Soak up the glory and glow of Jesus!  Be a glowworm!  But not just for self, but for others too sharing the power of Easter!  

For there’s not just any power available, there’s resurrection power available! The same power that raised Jesus from the dead, can pulsate through any predicament.  High explosive power, resurrection power, capable of addressing the gravest problem. 

And so where are things grave for you?  Where you are stuck, immobilized?  Where are you settling for just ‘flesh and blood’?  

Where do you need a breakthrough?  

Walk in the resurrection, and discover a risen God, empowering us to rise toward God’s life, life as it was meant to be. 

For have you received the message this holy season?  Christ has risen!  

Christ has risen indeed!  

And so wake up.  Wake up!

God’s morning is come!