By Andrew Stoddard
It was a cold, damp, and uncomfortably windy Chicago night. I was walking home from the Gold Coast Starbucks where I worked. It was only a few blocks, but man, at that time of night and during that time of year, the chill could cut you to the bone. I was less than pleased by the entire situation.
To top it all off, John Cusack had visited our store that day, and I had missed him. I don’t know if I was taking out the garbage or cleaning our back room; either way, by the time I came back to the front of the store, I discovered all my coworkers clamoring about our recent celebrity guest. What a bummer. So many questions about High Fidelity and Say Anything that I never got to ask him. Probably never will.
Now, I’m fairly certain that a chance encounter with John Cusack wouldn’t have fundamentally changed my life, but it would’ve been a great story. Definitely a better story than the one I’m telling you now: “The Time I Didn’t Meet John Cusack.”
Disappointing? Sure. Life shattering? Not so much.
On the other hand, missing an encounter with the resurrected Jesus—now that is a big deal. For the life of me, I cannot understand the reaction of the guards at the tomb in Matthew. Let’s quickly recap: an angel shining like lightning appears, he rolls away the stone covering the tomb, the guards are so terrified that they completely pass out.
So far, I don’t fault them. Admittedly, that would have been a startling experience.
Here’s where I do fault them though. When they came to, instead of looking for the resurrected Jesus, they decided to try to help the chief priests cover up the resurrection. WHAT?! Why?
Instead of responding to this divine encounter, they chose to pursue temporal comfort and safety. They knew that not only their jobs, but also their lives were on the line. So they decided to collude with the powers that be instead of pursuing the only power that truly matters.
I missed a chance to meet John Cusack; the soldiers missed an encounter with the resurrected Christ! When they awoke, they had a choice to make. Though they had witnessed an intensely powerful and spiritual series of events, they chose not to pursue spiritual awakening.
What a sharp contrast to the centurion who was witness to the crucifixion of Jesus a few chapters earlier. “When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified and exclaimed, ‘Surely He was the Son of God!’” (Matthew 27:54).
On my best days, I like to think I’m more like the centurion at the cross, who sees Christ and can’t help but utter a confession. However, I know there are times when I walk in the way of the guards at the tomb, who have encountered the power of God, but prefer to pursue earthly comfort and safety.
The temptation we all face in the wake of those encounters is to seek comfort or familiarity rather than seek Christ. When we do this, it makes us temporarily comfortable, but spiritually numb. Don’t make the same mistake the guards at the tomb did! In this season of resurrection pursue hope and life. Draw near to the resurrected and risen Jesus. He alone has the power to set us free.
written by Andrew Stoddard
54 thoughts on "Encounters with Christ: The Unbelieving World"
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Jason says:
Submitting myself to Christ and His calling in my life. I need to surrender my selfish desires and look to Christ to replace any selfish desire with things that align with his will.
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Derek says:
I need to be strong and be a witness for the lord instead of turning my back
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Jesus give me strength to stand up and confess your glory. Help me to not be persuaded by things of this earth. Your sacrifice is what truly matters. Help me to remove all doubt from my mind. Amen
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Jack Howard says:
Father I pray that I listen to you when you tell me to speak. I pray that I trust you in times when I am scared to witness. I pray that I trust your call on my life no matter what I have to lay down. I pray that you show me that call. Father use me to glorify your kingdom. Use me to bring others to know your holy name. Use me to help others and give you all the glory. Father I love you. In Jesus name. Amen.
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Zac says:
Often times we prefer comfort over spiritual growth. We can’t have both, and the way of the cross invites us into the uncomfortable. It’s much easier to follow the status quo than explore God.
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That encountering Jesus requires me to step out of my comfort zone, often dealing with the unknown and uneasy questions that only Christ holds the keys to, not by knowledge, but through experience and intimacy.
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Christ has risen, and even witnesses to His resurrection have difficulty wrapping their mind around this truth and it’s implications.
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To lean into God, to walk with Christ, and to be aware of the Holy Spirit, abandoning safety and knowledge for intimacy with God.
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God, help me to lean into you, to not let me fears and questions cloud my eyes from your glory. Help me to respond to you not out of logic and knowledge, but out of experience and intimacy. Draw me near, and hold me steady when I get in my own way. Let me not be foolish enough to think I can scientifically and logically explain everything, and let me focus instead on following hard after you.
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Sam Stoddard says:
That it is logical, coherent, and for everyone. Even the guards, even the Pharisees. Jesus is truth, Jesus is life, Jesus is love. All my reality is wrapped up the events that occurred on a piece of wood and inside a stone room.
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That we are as birds and candles. We either flicker out, or fly and sign Christ’s message.
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The cohesion of the prophecies, the coherence of His love, and the beauty my Lord possesses.
I am unworthy.
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I will run to Him. Father take me back. Forgive me for being like a Guard who ran from your resurrection. Forgive me. I long for the light.
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Truthfully, honestly, angrily, joyfully. I will pray as if into my father; which He is.
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