Devotional - Easter Sunday

The Hope of the Resurrection

I can imagine Mary, the mother of Jesus, gazing at her newborn son with immediate love and tenderness. Mothers do that. And I can imagine Joseph thinking of this child’s years growing up, and all they would do together. Fathers do that. As parents seem to do, Mary and Joseph must surely have wondered about His future, this tiny baby boy, who was sent by God for them to care for and watch over.
   
I think it’s easy to imagine Jesus as a child, playing with his siblings, running and laughing, sometimes helping his mother with chores. He’d watch Joseph working, learning all He could about carpentry, for He knew Joseph expected Jesus to follow in his footsteps.
       
When Jesus was twelve or thirteen, the family made a trip to Jerusalem during Passover. And while they were there, they visited the Temple. Jesus must have decided he was old enough to challenge the elders, and he did. They were amazed at this young man’s extensive knowledge and they wondered how he knew so much as they talked.

Meanwhile, Mary and Joseph left for home thinking Jesus was with the others in their group. He wasn’t!  So they made the trip back to Jerusalem to find him still with the elders in the Temple. Mary admonished Jesus, perhaps embarrassing him. Mothers can do that when they’re worried. Jesus responded by asking her why they were looking for him. Didn’t they know he must be in His Father’s house?   

As time passed and Jesus was on his own, his magnetism drew others to follow him—especially a diverse group of twelve men whose callings were to become His disciples. When Jesus had asked them to follow him, they did. When Jesus began his ministry, he greatly depended on their help. They were with him as He ministered to all his followers, including his disciples. He performed miracles that amazed them. I imagine when Jesus spent time with friends eager to share a meal with him, his disciples were asked to come along.

I imagine Jesus was a rather serious young man who nevertheless enjoyed the companionship of his twelve dedicated followers. We know from the Bible he was a gentle and kind man. And He was compassionate. But we know he could also get very angry and impatient. Some in the crowds didn’t trust him. Many feared him and despised him. And in the end, they crucified him.

But it’s hard to imagine Jesus’ Resurrection, how it happened. It seems an impossible outcome after Jesus’ crucifixion! But it was part of God’s plan, and Jesus wanted to appear before his disciples to explain His Resurrection. Then He told them He would soon be gone. He reminded them what they needed to do once He left them to be with His Father in Heaven. They were to remember all they had taught them, and do as He had done, because they were Christians.

Jesus has also taught us to follow Him as Christians. We are to serve him faithfully as his disciples, doing all he expects of us. When we do…we shall have eternal life. That is the hope given to us—the hope of the Resurrection.

Diane Feaganes