Let’s talk about Peter, the ‘Rock’ on which Christ’s Church is built.

Seriously, would you have chosen him? Surely, one of the other Disciples would be the most highly qualified.

Thomas – the rationalist, who requested and received hard proof

John Mark – a young man to appeal to the young

John – the one whom Jesus loved, also offering theological understanding

Matthew – to explain to his own people, the Jews, that Messiah has come

Luke – the educated reporter bringing the stories together

Surely all the above are candidates to be the foundation on which the Church is to be built– but Peter?

Simon Peter – weak of will (even if momentarily), impulsive, a tendency toward vacillation and doubt, headstrong, somewhat overestimating his own capability. Walks on water – temporarily; denies he Knows Jesus when under pressure; jumps fully clothed into the sea; cuts off Malthus’ ear in the Garden of Gethsemane. But – and this is much more important – despite all the times he acts before his brain catches up, he is not afraid to proclaim his faith in public. And he doesn’t care who knows it.

“But what about you?” Jesus asked the disciples. “Who do you say I am?”

Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

Saint Peter – embarrassingly human, with human fallibilities – but in faith, prepared to accept them and be forgiven for the things he gets wrong, whether intentional or unintentional. And it is this that makes him the right choice on which to found a worldwide church full of people who share the same weaknesses and faults, a church which accepts the imperfection of humanity but loves it nonetheless – even to the point of atoning self-sacrifice.

Of all the Apostles, Peter the flawed man is the natural leader. Over the next few weeks, we shall look closely at his first letter in the New Testament, which describes the real-world Christian life. If you would like to prepare, the readings are:

12 April 1 Peter 1.3-9

19 April 1 Peter 1.17-23

26 April 1 Peter 2.19-25

3 May 1 Peter 2.2-10

10 May 1 Peter 3.13-22

17 May 1 Peter 4.12- 5:11

1 Peter 1: 3-9
3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, 5 who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7 These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 8 Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 9 for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

Key points:
v.4 – an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. We are given the gift of an indestructible inheritance of hope through Jesus the Christ. It is up to us whether we choose to accept it.
v.5 – through faith. It is faith that shields us now and in the future
v.6 – you greatly rejoice Because we have faith, we are capable of enduring whatever lies before us in this earthly life
v.7 – when Jesus Christ is revealed. When He comes, your endurance will be rewarded and your faith will be proven.
v.8 – even though you do not see him now, you believe. Hebrews 11:1 ‘Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.’
v.9 – the salvation of your souls. Despite our mistakes and weaknesses, like Peter, we are saved through the unconditional love God shows us through His son, Jesus the Christ.

Early on the Sunday morning (‘the first day of the week’) after the Crucifixion, before dawn, Mary Magdalene, who has been a witness to Christ’s death and burial, comes to the tomb and finds that the stone has been rolled away. Initially it seems she is on her own, for she alone is named. But later she describes her experiences using the word ‘we,’ which indicates she was with other women. In the Eastern Orthodox tradition, these women are known as the Holy Myrrhbearers (Μυροφόροι). The Myrrhbearers are traditionally listed as: Mary Magdalene, Mary, the mother of James and Joses, Mary, the wife of Cleopas, Martha of Bethany, sister of Lazarus, Mary of Bethany, sister of Lazarus, Joanna, the wife of Chuza the steward of Herod Antipas, and Salome, the mother of James and John, the sons of Zebedee, and Susanna, although it is generally said that there are other Myrrhbearers whose names are not known. Mary and these women run to tell Saint Peter and the other disciple (presumably Saint John the Evangelist) that they suspect someone has removed the body. The ‘other disciple’ may have been younger and fitter, for he outruns Saint Peter. The tidy way the linen wrappings and the shroud have been folded or rolled up shows that the body has not been stolen. They believe, yet they do not understand; they return home without any explanations. But Mary still thinks Christ’s body has been removed or stolen, and she returns to the cemetery. In her grief, she sees ‘two angels in white’ sitting where the body had been lying, one at the head, and one at the feet. They speak to her and then she turns around sees Christ, but only recognises him when he calls her by name. Peter and John have returned without seeing the Risen Lord. It is left to Mary to tell the Disciples that she has seen the Lord. Mary Magdalene is the first witness of the Resurrection. All four gospels are unanimous in telling us that the women are the earliest witnesses to the Risen Christ. In Saint John’s Gospel, the Risen Christ sends Mary Magdalene to tell the other disciples what she had seen. Mary becomes the apostle to the apostles. The word apostle comes from the Greek ἀπόστολος (apóstólos), formed from the prefix ἀπό- (apó-, ‘from’) and the root στέλλω (stéllō, ‘I send,’ ‘I depart’). So, the Greek word ἀπόστολος (apóstolos) or apostle means one who is sent. In addition, at the end of the reading (see verse 18), Mary comes announcing what she has seen. The word used here (ἀγγέλλουσα, angéllousa) is from the word that gives us the Annunciation, the proclamation of the good news, the proclamation of the Gospel (Εὐαγγέλιον, Evangélion). Mary, in her proclamation of the Gospel of the Resurrection, is not only the apostle to the apostles, but she is also the first of the evangelists. In the Western tradition of the Church, we seem to have contemplated the cross and then moved to the empty tomb. At times, the deep joys of the Resurrection have often been overshadowed in the Western Church by the way of the Cross, as though the Cross leads only to death. But what happened in Christ’s resting place, during the time in his tomb? The Orthodox Church thinks more than the Western about what happened while Christ’s body lay in the tomb, and it is remembered as the time during which he visited those who were dead. We are reminded God reaches into the deepest depths to pull forth souls into the kingdom of light. It reminds us also of what we are unable to comprehend – let alone take to heart as our own – the creedal statement about Christ’s descent into Hell – ‘He descended into Hell.’ The Early Church taught that after his death Christ descended into hell and rescued all the souls, starting with Adam and Eve, who had died under the Fall. The Harrowing of Hell is intimately bound up with the Resurrection, the Raising from the Dead, for as Christ is raised from the dead he also steps down into the depths to bring up, to raise up, those who are dead. The Harrowing of Hell carries us into the gap in time between Christ’s death and resurrection. In Orthodox icons of the Harrowing of Hell, Christ stands on the shattered doors of Hell. Sometimes, two angels are shown in the pit binding Satan. And we see Christ pulling out of Hell Adam and Eve, imprisoned there since their deaths, imprisoned along with all humanity because of sin. Christ breaks down the doors of Hell and leads the souls of the lost into Heaven. He descends into the depths of our sin and alienation from God; and by that he connects all that is lost and sinful with the radiance of divine goodness, joy and light. It is the most radical reversal we can imagine. Death does not have the last word, we need not live our lives entombed in fear. If Adam and Eve are forgiven, and the Sin of Adam is annulled and destroyed, who is beyond forgiveness? We can ask ourselves this morning: Is my hell in my heart of my own creation? Is hell in my mind, in my home, where I live and work, in my society, in this world? Is hell the nightmares from the past I cannot shake off, or the fears for the future when it looks gloomy and desolate for this planet? But is anything too hard for Christ? Where are the depths of my heart and my soul – where darkness prevails, and where I feel even Christ can find no welcome? I cannot produce or manufacture my own salvation from that deep, interior hell, hidden from others, and often hidden from myself. Christ breaks down the gates of Hell, of the place of death, the place where God is not, he rips all sinful humanity from the clutches of death. Let us not hesitate, let us ask him to take away all that denies life in us, whether it is a hell of our own making, a hell that has been forced on us, or a hell that surrounds us. Can we accept that Christ reaches down to lift us up with him in his Risen Glory? Now let us enjoy and embrace the brightness, the radiance and lightness, the singing and celebrating of Easter. Fully aware that we are Easter People, an Easter People. Christ died, descended, ascended and rose again for me, for you, for us, for all humanity. As the beginning of a new creation. Alleluia!

When we sang ‘See amid the winter’s snow’ at Christmas time, we included the verse

Sacred Infant, all divine,
what a tender love was Thine,
thus to come from highest bliss
down to such a world as this!

‘Such a world as this’. A world full of violence, prejudice, hatred and war. A polluted environment that seeks to accelerate its own demise. A world in which 21st century technology is deployed under a moral compass little changed from that of cave-dwellers.

Seriously, if you were God, and had created this world as a haven of love and peace, surely you would simply give up, walk away and start again from scratch. (Perhaps without serpents this time).

But thanks be to God, you’re not God. (Even though some people seem to think they are). The God who created us, who loves and protects us, won’t give up trying. Every time we fall, He picks us up and gives us the opportunity to reset. We witness His sacrificial gift as He willingly climbs the Cross – as the song says, ‘hands that flung stars into space to cruel nails surrendered.’

Through our tears as we stand at the foot of the Cross and witness His Crucifixion on this Good Friday, we have the privilege of looking beyond the day unto a day of joy as we are assured of His life – then, today and tomorrow. We leave our past behind as we walk away from Golgotha, the place of the skull.

Our two readings from the Gospel take place within only a few days – yet they could not be more different. In one, the crowd are waving palms and greeting Jesus as the Son of God, the Promised one – less than a week later, that same crown are baying for His death, provoked by self-regarding leaders who even admit their machinations: “You don’t realize that it is better for you to have one man die for the people than to have the whole nation destroyed”, says Caiaphas in John 11:50. He is thinking of pacifying the Roman Occupiers and preventing rebellion – but despite his learning, he doesn’t realise that the prophesied Messiah is given to the world, not just the Jews, the ‘chosen ones’. The ‘One Man’ he mentions, who happens to be the Son of God, will die for every woman, man and child in all of creation.

People often ask the question Why did Jesus have to die? I came across the following from a Christian philosopher, Alan Dotchin, who succinctly discusses the various theological replies:

In Christian theology, the crucifixion is not merely a martyrdom or political execution; it is the central act of God’s redemptive plan for humanity. Several key doctrines stem from this belief:

1. Atonement
The doctrine of atonement teaches that Jesus’ death paid the penalty for human sin, reconciling humanity with God. As the “Lamb of God” (John 1:29), Jesus’ sacrifice is seen as the fulfilment of Old Testament sacrificial practices.

2. Substitution and Sacrifice
Jesus is often seen as a substitute, taking upon himself the punishment deserved by others. As Isaiah 53 prophesied, “He was pierced for our transgressions.”

3. Victory over Sin and Death
In the Christus Miles (Christ the soldier) model, Jesus’ death and resurrection represent a victory over the powers of sin, death, and evil. The cross is not defeat—it is triumph.

4. Love and Grace
The crucifixion is viewed as the ultimate demonstration of divine love. As John 3:16 proclaims: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son.” The cross reveals a God who suffers with and for humanity.

These things are worth meditation and thought, as we enter this Holy Week – but the even more important question that we can only answer for ourselves, is embodied in twelve straightforward words written by Charles Wesley.

How can it be, That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?

11 Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. ² It was Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was ill. ³ So the sisters sent to him, saying, “Lord, he whom you love is ill.”

Lazarus and his sisters were close friends with Jesus. They turn to Him in times of trouble, and Lazarus’ illnes is certainly trouble – he is the breadwinner of the family, and they depend on him for their wellbeing.

 ⁴ But when Jesus heard it he said, “This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”

⁵ Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. ⁶ So, when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was.

This has to be one of the greatest puzzles in Scripture. Lazarus is desperately ill; a friend’s natural response would be to make haste to his bedside. Instead, Jesus stays where He is. ‘Some friend He is’, people are thinking. One explanation for Jesus’ delay is that Lazarus had to die for the miracle to take place, but that seems unlikely  – Jesus loves the family, and wouldn’t put them through theatricals causing unnecessary pain – there would be other opportuntities for performing miracles.

Instead, we look at the context. Jesus has been living about six miles north of Jericho, avoiding Judea, where He had been pursued and threatened with stoning on account of His teaching and miraculous healings. When the nessage about Lazarus arrives, He is torn between wishing to be alongside His friend and the risk of certain death if He goes back to Judea. In many ways, this is His crucial moment – Is He prepared to give up His life for a friend? He spends the two days prayerfully wrestling with His decision – a much greater decision than just about Lazarus, because to go back to Judea is to accept His destiny as the saviour of the world, not just of one man, and be the first step in the walk that will lead to His Cross.

He chooses, and turns His face to Jerusalem.

 ⁷ He said to the disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.” ⁸ The disciples said to him, “Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone you, and are you going there again?” ⁹ Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. ¹⁰ But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.” 

The disciples don’t want Jesus to go at all.  There is too much risk involved, with the authorites already stirring up the crowd out of fear they will listen to the message Jesus is preaching. But He refuses to go into hiding or disguise His ministry.

¹¹ After saying these things, he said to them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him.” ¹² The disciples said to him, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover.” ¹³ Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that he meant taking rest in sleep. ¹⁴ Then Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus has died, ¹⁵ and for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.” 

They look for excuses for Jesus not to go. ‘Perhaps it isn’t that serious’. It is, though. The delay is important, because Jesus will use the resultant healing to confim His power even over death.

¹⁶ So Thomas, called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.”

Thomas is (reluctantly) resigned to his fate out of loyalty to Jesus – but I suspect he is muttering under his breath.

¹⁷ Now when Jesus came, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days. ¹⁸ Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles^[c] off, ¹⁹ and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them concerning their brother. 

Sounds like an Irish funeral! The whole community gathers around to sympathise.

²⁰ So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, but Mary remained seated in the house. ²¹ Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” 

An interesting conversation ensues. She rebukes Him, demonstrating the close relationship between Jesus and the family – she wouldn’t dare to give a Rabbi a telling-off otherwise

²² But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.”

So fix it, please.

 ²³ Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” ²⁴ Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” 

I’ve heard platitudes like that many times. I want something more concrete than pie-in-the- sky-when-you-die.

 ²⁵ Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life.^[d] Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, ²⁶ and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” ²⁷ She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.”

And Martha – the practical one – confesses her faith – before Lazarus is raised from death. Here is a forunner of Thomas upper-room confession when Jesus appeared with the wounds in His hands and side ‘Do you believe because you have seen  – blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.’

²⁸ When she had said this, she went and called her sister Mary, saying in private, “The Teacher is here and is calling for you.” ²⁹ And when she heard it, she rose quickly and went to him. ³⁰ Now Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was still in the place where Martha had met him. ³¹ When the Jews who were with her in the house, consoling her, saw Mary rise quickly and go out, they followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to weep there. ³² Now when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet, saying to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” ³³ When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved^[e] in his spirit and greatly troubled. ³⁴ And he said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Lord, come and see.” ³⁵ Jesus wept. 

Jesus – Son of God, but also human – understands and shares the pain of all those who have lost loved ones. His tears are not just for Lazarus, but the rest of the world.

³⁶ So the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” ³⁷ But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man also have kept this man from dying?”

They ‘ve seen a miracle – but they want more. They don’t want to believe – they want an excuse not to.

³⁸ Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. ³⁹ Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, “Lord, by this time there will be an odour, for he has been dead four days.” ⁴⁰ Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?” ⁴¹ So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. ⁴² I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me.” ⁴³ When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out.” 

 “Lazarus, come out.” He calls Lazarus by name. Even death cannot triumph, and so it is with sin. There is no depth or distance to which human being can go that can prevent them from hearing that call. It is up to them to choose to accept or deny it.

⁴⁴ The man who had died came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.”

Unbound, and set free.

He calls us, too. Our choice.

…the consolation of Israel…

There are several annoying pieces of advice that have been around for centuries when people are looking for help and reassurance. ‘It’s always darkest just before dawn’ ‘it is what it is’. The technological version of helpful (not) suggestions is ‘Try switching it off and on again’.

Having said which, sometimes a complete reset is indeed the only option.

Since the beginning of time, God has given Israel plenty of opportunity to turn away from sin and obey His Commandments. They don’t; they follow their own way. And every time, disaster follows.

An impatient god would get sick of being ignored and leave humanity to it. The true God who created us isn’t about to do that – He loves His creation too much. He resorts to the only option that can work – the total reset that allows the world to start again. He sends His only Son to be the ‘consolation’ of Israel.

“Consolation” in this context refers to comfort or solace, pointing to the long-awaited hope of deliverance and restoration, rooted in the promises of the Hebrew Scriptures. This hope identified a person (the Messiah) who would bring redemption to Israel and, ultimately, to the world.

Isaiah spoke about it and prophesied.

40:1 Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.
Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her
that her hard service has been completed,
that her sin has been paid for,
that she has received from the Lord’s hand
double for all her sins.

Unfortunately, no-one listened. They refused to believe, relying on strict (and impossible) adherence to the Law for their salvation. Prophets came and went with the same outcome, but you have to wonder whether the Jewish authorities actually wanted a Messiah at all. They worried about the risk of not being able to use the Law as leverage to exert their power as judge and jury over the people.

They denied the voice of the Holy Spirit by failing to trust those prophesies; but ordinary people like Anna and Simeon heard and believed.

Simeon, though, didn’t just hear about the Messiah being incarnate in the child – he also knew that the child’s destiny would involve pain and suffering in order to fulfil His mission. And Mary knew too. The consolation of Israel – of the world – would cost her the life of her child. And that gives additional meaning to the song in Luke’s Gospel we know as the Magnificat and Mary’s acceptance of her role. ‘Let it be to me according to Thy Word’