The University of Chicago Divinity School has what is called “Baptist Day” each year. On this day, each one is to bring a lunch to an outdoor picnic area, and the school invites one of the popular lecturers to speak at the theological education center.
One year Dr. Paul Tillich came and spent 2-1/2 hours attempting to prove that the resurrection of Jesus was a lie. He quoted liberal books and scholars to prove his point and then asked for questions.
An older man near the back of the auditorium spoke. “Dr. Tillich,” he said, taking an apple out and beginning to eat. “Crunch, crunch—I have a simple question—munch, munch. I haven’t read any of those books you talk about—crunch crunch. I can’t recite the Scriptures in Greek—munch munch. I don’t know anything about Niebuhr and Heidegger— crunch, crunch.” He held up the core of his eaten apple. “All I want to know is this apple I just ate—was it bitter or sweet?”
Dr. Tillich paused and then responded, “I cannot possibly answer that question. I haven’t tasted your apple, sir.” The old man dropped the apple core into his sack and said, “Neither have you tasted my Jesus.” The audience of over 1,000 erupted into applause and cheers, to which Dr. Tillech left the platform.
For many centuries, innumerable people stood beside the dark hole that we call a grave and watched the remains of their loved ones lowered into the earth. And they wondered: “Beyond the dark waters of death, is there anything?”
But on the Resurrection morning, as the sun arose in the east, the Son of God stepped forth from a grave and declared, “There is something beyond. There is a paradise beyond your greatest expectations. And there awaits a heavenly Father with outstretched arms to wipe away all the fear of death and every tear from your cheek.” Not only is there something beyond, but there is also SOMEONE beyond the grave. That someone is Jesus Christ!
I have heard that possums are smart animals. You would not think so because you hardly ever see one except when it is dead on the road. There is a joke that goes, “Why did the chicken cross the road? To prove to the possum that it could be done!” But possums, it turns out, are smart. They won’t enter a hole if there’s just one set of tracks going into it. They know there’s something in there. But if there are two sets of tracks. The possum will enter and not be afraid.
The message of Easter is that we can enter the grave. We do not have to fear death because there are tracks leading out of the tomb. Paul preached the proclamation of Easter—I Corinthians 15:55-57: “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
This is the only message that we need to hear this Easter! Jesus is risen!
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