Yesterday Don Rummel offered the above question as a segue to talking about the importance of Jesus’ body and blood. It was a good thought and it helped focus my mind as I prepared to take the Communion meal with my Master. It also made me think of something else, and consider the question not only from the Lord’s perspective but also from the world’s.
What if Jesus hadn’t died on the cross?
What then? What would change? How would the world be different?
I suppose if Jesus hadn’t died (and rose) then people would spend their Sundays sleeping in, relaxing, watching TV. The parks would still be open. Restaurants would still be serving food. Theaters would still be showing movies. Life in the world would go on, and nothing would really be any different.
But Jesus did die, so what has changed?
The only way you can find anyone doing anything different on Sunday than they would do on, say, Saturday, is if someone has chosen to be different. If someone has chosen to let the death and resurrection of Jesus change his or her life, then life is different. But the number of people who have made that choice is small; it’s the minority, which is why it seems like the world is unaffected by the death of Jesus. The world is unaffected because world doesn’t want to be affected.
I want to be affected by it. I want let the fact that Jesus died change me as a person, and I want that change to be noticeable by everyone else who hasn’t (thus far) been affected by it. If Jesus hadn’t died, I probably would spend my Sunday much the way I spend my Saturdays: sleep in, relax, watch TV, etc.
But Jesus did die, and He rose too, and that’s why I look forward to assembling on the Lord’s day and making that day more special than every other.
~ Matthew