Holy Trinity Bukit Bintang
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Lent Devotion

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"At the Foot of the Cross" is an annual Lenten devotion written by clergy and lay leaders in the Anglican Diocese of West Malaysia. This devotion has been faithfully produced since 1992 and this year's theme is on 1 and 2 Thessalonians. Join us as we journey together towards the foot of the cross.

 
 

11 March - Risen With Christ

 

“According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words.”

1 Thessalonians 4:15-18

 

This is a near standard text read at most funeral services. Certainly, a comforting connection to the words of Jesus, "I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die.” (John 11:25). Paul’s new converts were struggling with the dilemma of the where about of their loved ones who passed away should Jesus return here and now. Will the deceased be left behind? Obviously, they believe in the bodily resurrection. Thus, Paul encourages the bereaved Thessalonians not to grieve without understanding: since Jesus died and rose again, the believers who die will likewise rise again. There is no pre-qualification nor post-qualification when Jesus their Lord comes back. Ultimately, Paul is telling them that the resurrection hope is a comprehensive graceful act of God that transcend human space time limitation.

Two thoughts:

Firstly, the coming of the Lord, the Parousia, is Christological in orientation. The main point is not about the individual survival after death but of the risen Christ in his supreme transformative act of resurrection existence. It is not about how worthy a person is that finally his immortal soul receives eternal reward or eternal punishment. The human centric idea of rapture has been much popularised in movies like ‘A Thief in the Night’, ‘A Distant Thunder’ and ‘Image of the Beast’ and the novel ‘Left Behind’. It often leads to wild speculation that somehow God’s divine act is subject to our human condition and response.

Secondly, the coming of the Lord is communal in essence. Our Christian hope is founded upon the restorative work of Christ in reconciling humanity. A more familiar term we use is the Kingdom of God when Christ will reign as king where ‘every knee should bow, and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord, to the glory of God the Father’ (Philippians 2:10-11). All things will be revealed where believers can rejoice in affirmation and non-believers can banish their doubts. We know not the time but are called to be watchful (Matthew 24:42); be prepared like a wise bride (Matthew 25:1-13) and be faithful stewards (Matthew 25:14-30). This passage is an excellent message of consolation to any bereaved individuals. Yet it is also an invitation for look beyond and transcend our broken heartedness to the inclusiveness and eventual fulfilment of God’s promise of salvation.

PONDER

“Every parting gives a foretaste of death; every coming together again a foretaste of the resurrection.” (Arthur Schopenhauer)

PROMISE

“We live and die; Christ died and lived!” (John Stott)

PRAYER

We don’t know what we will hear. The call of an angel? The blast of a trumpet? This much we do know: we want to be here whenever you come. Make us ready, Lord. (Anne Osdieck)

Article by the Reverend Joshua Ong, Vicar of St Paul’s Church, Petaling Jaya.

HTBB