He Came Back

Well, “The Big One” is over. Easter has come and gone, a glorious flash of splendor against the dark background of betrayal and brutality and death. Jesus, we are again reminded, has triumphed; He is risen!

And if we truly celebrated Holy Week, we find that we have been on an astonishing ride. A roller coaster ride from the heights of the Triumphal Entry amid palms and “Hosannas” and rocks ready to burst into praise… to the depths of betrayal, as not only one of His own, but also the crowd (some who shouted His praises days earlier?) turns against Him.

The ride plummets on down…down… as Jesus is beaten and mocked and crucified. And then still lower as all sin is laid upon Him and He is forsaken by His Father.

He is laid in the cold, dark tomb. The Apostle’s Creed says He even descended into hell. Then, finally, up, up, up into the light of the sun and resurrected life and reunion with His disciples and, eventually, return to His Father.

Think about how Jesus was treated by us in just that one week. Doesn’t it make you wonder why He didn’t enter that cloud that took Him to heaven.. and never look back? Why He didn’t just shake the dust off His feet, say “My work is accomplished here,” and stay in heaven? Surely He’d had enough grief to last an eternity! But He kept on showing the same love and passion to be near us that brought Him to the manger and the cross, and just forty days later, His Spirit returned, descending on the Upper Room. He came back (it’s as if He just can’t stay away)! He came back to the same world that gave Him so much grief. To the same city that lifted Him up and then slammed Him down. To the same disciples who deserted Him.

What love. To return and indwell such imperfect beings as His followers were – and are today. To take up residence in hearts too often haunted by distrust and fear and carnality and stubbornness. To come to you and me, by His Spirit, and settle smack dab in the middle of it all, to unpack His bags in whatever living conditions we offer Him. Astonishing.

So here He is today, indwelling every believer. And we can’t do anything about the way He was treated 2000 years ago. But we can do something about the way He is treated today, in our hearts. About the kind of welcome and attention we give His Spirit. About the accommodations we offer Him and the attitudes and the atmosphere that surrounds Him.

Can we do better? Can we improve on the hospitality – or lack of – that He was shown two thousand years ago? For the Holy Spirit’s sake, I hope so.