On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen!” (Luke 24:1–6, NIV 1984).
My Musings – A policeman sees a drunk man searching for something under a streetlight and asks what the drunk has lost. He says he lost his keys and they both look under the streetlight together. After a few minutes the policeman asks if he is sure he lost them here, and the drunk replies, no, and that he lost them in the park. The policeman asks why he is searching here, and the drunk replies, “this is where the light is.” It’s an old joke, that goes back to at least to the 1920’s, and has been told and re-told with many variations since. Looking where it is easiest to see, not where they would be found.
But the original telling is no joke at all. “Why do you look for the living among the dead?” Because “the women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed Joseph and saw the tomb and how his body was laid in it.” (Luke 23:55, NIV 1984). They had seen Him die. They had seen where He was laid. They were looking where it was easiest to believe He would be. But not where He would be found. “Remember how He told you, while He was still with you in Galilee: ‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’ Then they remembered his words.” (Luke 24:6–8, NIV 1984).
Today, people are still looking for the “keys.” To the Kingdom, that is. Looking where it is easiest for them to believe and accept. Today, the question might be, “why do you look for the truth among the lies. He is not there.” Jesus is still saying today, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6, NIV 1984).
My Advice – There is no easier way. There is only one way. You just need to know where to look. If you’ve been looking elsewhere, you already know, “He is not [there].” Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12, NIV 1984). Not only is the light better, but that is also where what is lost will be found.
The Brew Is A Musing 