Truth be told
Sometimes those who are supposed be heralds of truth and wisdom speak in a profound way, without even understanding the truth of what they are saying.
For example, there’s the biblical example of Caiaphas, high priest at the time when Jesus was crucified, who said to his colleagues: “You do not realize that it is better for you that one man [ie. Jesus] die for the people than that the whole nation perish.” The Bible says he was prophesying about Jesus dying for the sake of the forgiveness of mankind when he said this, even though he didn’t mean it that way. (See John 11:49-52)
In a similar vein, there’s my local newspaper that ran with two headlines on it’s front page today: “Easter Greetings!” and, rather unfortunately placed directly under this, the headline for the big local news story: “We’re in the poo!”
Truth be told, the Easter message does indeed begin with the message that we are "in the poo"—up the creek without a paddle; rebels on the losing team and facing a humiliating defeat.
Of course, the idea of being a “rebel” is kind of a romantic notion to many of us. Perhaps we’ve seen so many exciting movies where the underdogs of the resistance movement courageously battle against the evil authoritarian regime, and claim, if not ultimate victory, significant wins in minor skirmishes—at least enough to sustain hope.
But in our rebellious battle against God, where we seek to overthrow him and install ourselves as masters of our own destiny, there is ultimately no hope of victory—and nor, in our better moments, would we actually be sure that we would want victory.
No, we’re rebels on a losing side, facing sure and humiliating defeat. And perhaps with more than a hunch that we probably ought to be fighting for the other side, but either too proud or too foolish to change.
But the second part of the Easter message is as positive as “We’re in the poo!” is negative. The message of Good Friday and Easter Sunday is that God has made it possible for us to return to the victorious side, completely pardoned for our previous rebellion, and now with the hope of sharing in the great new kingdom to be established when the victory is completed.
As Caiaphas rightly said, one man, Jesus, dies so that men and women need not perish.
To find out more about this great message of Easter, click here.