DAY 48

LIVING IN THE SUNRISE!

Leviticus 21 & 22 and Matthew 28

The last chapter of Matthew is only a mere 425 words. The account of the Resurrection is even shorter, about 220 words. Matthew for other events gives us longer descriptions and his chronicling of Jesus’ teachings on any number of subjects occupies more space.

Even with its brevity there is something about it; excitement, purity, a luminescence, for the Sun has come up, The Son is Risen from the dead – Alleluia!

I will avoid the temptation to launch into an Easter Day sermon; certainly Jesus, as he set his face towards Jerusalem chapters ago, has achieved the cosmic objective of the ages. The world is different forever. We of course will spend our lifetimes pondering the significance of this event.

For the disciples it must have been completely disorienting (we know they will go into hiding until Pentecost). After the Gift of the Holy Spirit, at Pentecost, more will become clear. Yet even before this outpouring of the Third Person of the Trinity, Jesus makes it clear: there is more to do. “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

We live in this age where death has been defeated, and yet the full restoration of God’s good creation has yet to come about.

Just as in Genesis, God is looking for us to follow Him, to go into the world…One role that now all are called to serve in is that of priest. This is what it says in the first letter of Peter (2:9): But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession. That is a description of all who follow Jesus and this role is for a very specific purpose: ”…that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light." There is it again, that we might tell others about God. It is similar to what we have been seeing God tellng the Israelites in Leviticus.     

Our reading in Leviticus is about the priest: their purity and the purity of the offering.

The priests had a great privilege. They were permitted to serve in the Tabernacle and to partake of the holy things. With that increased privilege came increased responsibility.

·         The ordinary Israelite could touch his parent’s corpse at the funeral. The priest could not.

·         The ordinary Israelite could marry whomever he chose. The priest could not.

·         The immoral Israelite was punished, but a member of a priest’s family who committed an immoral act was burnt with fire.

There is a principle here. For ever liberty there is a corresponding responsibility. For every privilege there is a corresponding duty.

I said earlier that there is a similarity to the Old Testament. There is also a difference. We know “how it ends” if you like. Jesus has won the victory. You and I have freedom, liberty, in Christ Jesus. You and I have privilege; we have been adopted, grafted into the family of God (cf. Romans 11) but with that great privilege comes great responsibility. It is the responsibility to be holy…let us live therefore as the sun arises for the Son has risen.