Paradise?

Psalm 22 tells the story of one man’s struggle with the world.

It’s all about how it feels when a person believes in an all-powerful God and yet feels abandoned by that same God. It moves from faith through despair to gratitude.

But the story doesn’t end there.

23 times this psalm comes up in the New Testament. Famously, in the story of Good Friday and Easter.

Easter tells the story of our God’s struggle with the world. Jesus the man takes the sin and absorbs it, accepts it and while at one point he cries out in pain and separation. The end of the story is well known.

He has done it! Just as he promised.

But the story doesn’t end there either

Our text for today is

Text John 16.33 ³³ “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

What does that mean for you, for us?

            We have a piece of video to give us time to think about it.

VIDEO

Jesus said and still says, this is and could be para-para-paradise.

Can you relate?

Has life failed to measure up to expectations?

Have you experienced the turning point when as in the video she sees clearly that so much more is real than first believed?

The song speaks of a two realities, there has to be suffering and disappointment, just as there is joy and peace.

“And so lying underneath those stormy skies
She'd say, "oh, ohohohoh I know the sun must set to rise"

The truth is for many people that’s enough to make it through; to get by; to accept the world as it is and survive. So for what it’s worth Coldplay brings a measure of hope, but isn’t there more available than cold comfort? Make the best of it. Enjoying life is just how you choose to look at things.

It’s rather like the debate over an age old question. Is the glass half empty or half full?

Here are some answers from various blogs I visited:

·         If the cup has just been filled up then it's half full. But if I have just drunk the contents then the cup is half empty.

·         The answer is actually pretty obvious. If half of the volume of the cup is occupied, then the cup is half full, but if it is only half full, then that means that the other half isn't full, and if it isn't full, it must be empty. The error is in assuming that half empty and half full are mutually exclusive states, when in reality, they cannot exist without one another and essentially mean the same thing. So, yes, the glass is half empty, and it is also half full.

·         It's not whether or not the glass if half full or empty. The true question is how much can we get if we sell the glass.

·         I have an idea, take a cup fill it half way with water then put it over your head and dump out on your head then you decide was the cup half full or half empty?

·         The answer depends on how greedy you are. If you're thirsty, It's full enough.

·         I really don't know most days. Sometimes I'm the one who is pouring. Sometimes I'm the one who is drinking Sometimes I'm the one who lets it spill all over myself. One thing is for sure. I am grateful for every little drop of good that does come my way

Maybe the last gets it right. Because it isn’t whether the cup is half full or half empty; it’s that there is water in the glass at all and that water gives life.

Too often, it seems that debates over being optimistic or pessimistic or realistic about life miss the point entirely. Isn’t the point that he is risen and the world hasn’t been the same since? Isn’t the point that the events of Good Friday and Easter have changed the meaning of life completely? Isn’t the point that settling for grinding it out, hoping to get by is a far cry from what Jesus has done? If it isn’t then what are we doing here?

There are exactly two huge results of what Jesus, God has done.

First and foremost, Jesus the man rose from the dead. That’s had never happened before and it bears great meaning. John saw it, Peter saw it, all the disciples saw the reality of Jesus resurrection and they, by the Spirit, got the meaning of it too.

John says it this way:

^{John 12.23} Jesus said, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. ²⁴ I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.

Or, when I die, I will rise and starting something never seen before.

And Paul says it this way:

^{1 Cor 15.54} When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”^{(Is 25.8)}

⁵⁵   “Where, O death, is your victory?

Where, O death, is your sting?”^{(Hos 13.14)}

Or, when our human bodies perish – die – we will be clothed with a body that will never die again. Put it all together and what do we get?

Because Jesus went to the cross and rose again, so too every single human being who came before or comes after him. There will be a day when we get new bodies – everybody, regardless of race, gender or ability.

All will rise, make no mistake. All will rise – some to continue being with Jesus for the rest of eternity. Some will rise to continue being separated from Jesus for the rest of eternity. Some know life now and forever; others know death now and forever.

The second result of what Jesus, God has done is that now as the disciples of God believers can live paradise now. We can live in the divine glory now. Some call it having our feet in two worlds. And this is what it means. In our text, Jesus speaks realistically about being in the world and facing the hatred of all forces that reject Jesus and the Father.

^{Jn 15.18} “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. ¹⁹ If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. ²⁰ Remember the words I spoke to you: ‘No servant is greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also.

So, disappointments, mistakes, failed hopes, dreams and goals, broken friendships and marriages are to be expected. Believers are in a battle and there are going to be casualties in the short term. BUT, in the long term Jesus has already won the war. So it’s not optimism but reality: nothing believers face will be powerful enough, disappointing enough, can or will separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. The evil that the world throws at believers cannot do permanent harm.

Why, because we share in Jesus victory. Such that while the all that battle is going on believers are  experiencing forgiveness, reconciliation, making a living, cherishing family, receiving grace, mercy and love, giving the same, knowing generosity in both giving and receiving.  All glimpses of paradise that sustain believers for the journey. Knowing meaningful times with God and others – knowing peace when everything is okay, better than okay, even just for a moment. These moments are daily bread, glimpses of glory to cherish.

But let’s not miss the point. It’s just like the cup of water, it’s not about dwelling on the troubles and it’s not about dwelling on those moments of glory either. It’s about accepting all of it together and holding onto Jesus the giver and completer of our faith. Holding onto the one who is holding onto you.

God continuously offers His Peace as the place to live where life is the best it can be. The place, the state of being, where the way things really are is seen clearly.  Are you letting Jesus hold onto you? Do you know those glimpses? Are they carrying you through the troubles? Have you accepted the invitation into the peace of Christ?

More, do you cherish those glimpses and what others to experience them too? Standing with a foot in both worlds we have the glory of helping others see the reality of a God who gave everything so that the people we’d least expect as well as those close to us would see paradise. Have you told the story of Jesus to anyone lately? How will they believe unless someone tells them?

³⁰   Future generations will serve him;

they will be told about the Lord.

³¹   They will proclaim his righteousness

to a people yet unborn—

for he has done it.