Easter

Easter says you can put truth in a grave, but it won't stay there. ~ Clarence W. Hall

We live and die; Christ died and lived! ~ John Stott

Our Lord has written the promise of the resurrection, not in books alone, but in every leaf in spring time. ~Martin Luther


A couple weeks ago I watched the new Harry Potter movie with some friends. You may say to yourselves, "why is she mentioning Harry Potter on Easter"? Well, let me explain....

In one part of the movie, a fable is told about three brothers. The story goes as follows:

"There were once three brothers who were traveling along a lonely, winding road at twilight. In time, the brothers reached a river, too deep to wade through, and too dangerous to swim across. However, these brothers were learned in the magical arts, and so they simply waved their wands, and made a bridge appear across the treacherous water. They were halfway across it, when they found their path blocked by a hooded figure, which was Death. He was angry that he had been cheated out of three new victims, for travelers usually drowned in the river. But Death was cunning. He pretended to congratulate the three brothers upon their magic, and said that each had earned a prize for being clever enough to evade him.

So, the oldest brother, who was a combative man, asked for a weapon more powerful than any in existence. A weapon that must always win battles for its owner. A weapon worthy of a man who had conquered Death. So, Death crossed to an elder tree on the banks of the river, fashioned a weapon from a branch that had hung there, and gave it to the oldest brother.

Then the second brother, who was an arrogant man, decided that he wanted to humiliate Death still further, and asked for the power to recall others from Death. So, Death picked up a stone from the riverbank and gave it to the second brother, and told him that the stone would have the power to bring back the dead.

Finally, Death turned to the third brother. A humble man, he asked for something that would enable him to go forth from that place without being followed by Death. And so it was that Death reluctantly handed over his own cloak of invisibility.

In due course, the brother separated, each for his own destination. The first brother traveled for a week or more, and, reaching a distant village, sought out his enemy, with whom he had a quarrel. Naturally with the weapon given to him by Death, he could not fail to win the duel that followed. Leaving his enemy dead upon the floor, the oldest brother proceeded to an inn, where he boasted of the powerful weapon which he had snatched from Death himself and of how it made him invincible. That very night, another man crept upon the oldest brother as he lay wine-sodden upon his bed. The thief took the weapon, and, for good measure, slit the oldest brother's throat. And so, Death took the first brother for his own.

Meanwhile, the second brother journeyed to his own home, where he lived alone. Here, he took out the stone which had the power to recall the dead, and turned it thrice in his hand. To his amazement and delight, the figure of the girl he had once hoped to marry, before her untimely death, appeared at once before him. Yet she was sad and cold, separated from him as though by a veil. Though she had returned to the mortal world, she did not truly belong there, and suffered. Finally, the second brother, driven mad by hopeless longing, killed himself, so as to truly join her. And so, Death took the second brother for his own.

But though Death searched for the third brother for many years, he was never able to find him. IT was only when he had attained a great age that the youngest brother finally took off the cloak of invisibility, and gave it to his son. And then, he greeted Death as an old friend, went with him gladly, and, as equals, they departed this life."

It may seem at first that this story has no connection to Easter, but to me it does. It is only when we humble ourselves like the third brother, living our lives well and for the glory of God rather than for ourselves that we will ever be happy. Only then can we meet death happily and unafraid, because it means that although we are dying to this world, we are really just beginning our time in Eternity. As it says in Matthew 10:39, "Whoever seeks to gain his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it." In other words, if we only care about this life and the riches and acclaim we can gain here, our treasures will only rot away when we die. But, if we are like the third brother who lived at peace with men and in humility, we will part this world with ease, and we will find our treasures stored up in Heaven.

And, it is because of Jesus dying on the cross that all of this is possible. Without his sacrifice, none of us would be worthy to live in eternity because we all have moments when we feel/act like the first or second brother in the story. But because Christ has given us the hope of eternal life, we have that goal to strive for. Jesus didn't have to die on the cross, but he chose to because of his unconditional love for us, and his wish that we might all be saved. That is the reason why Easter should be such a joyful time. It's the time when we can be reminded of the unbelievable gift that we have been given to live forever in perfect happiness and peace. I think the fact that Easter occurs in the spring is perfect, because acts of resurrection are happening all around. It's a perfect demonstration of what the love of God can do for us.