20 Apr No One is Laughing Now

In 2009, everyone in the audience of an episode of “Britain’s Got Talent” was sure they knew the role Susan Boyle was to play when she took the stage. She presented with a somewhat cartoonish behavior and a speaking voice that gave no indication of singing talent. The crowd’s reaction made their expectations clear: she would be a stunning failure. Boyle proceeded to give a rendition of “I Dreamed a Dream” from Les Misérables that brought down the house. After the performance, judge Piers Morgan, noting that everyone was laughing before Boyle sang, said: “Nobody’s laughing now.”  It was a classic example of the adage “looks can be deceiving.” On this Resurrection Sunday, it reminds me that people laughed at Jesus too. They laughed before he raised Jairus’ daughter from the dead:

51 When he arrived at the house of Jairus, he did not let anyone go in with him except Peter, John and James, and the child’s father and mother. 52 Meanwhile, all the people were wailing and mourning for her. “Stop wailing,” Jesus said. “She is not dead but asleep.” 53 They laughed at him, knowing that she was dead. 54 But he took her by the hand and said, “My child, get up!” 55 Her spirit returned, and at once she stood up. Then Jesus told them to give her something to eat. 56 Her parents were astonished, but he ordered them not to tell anyone what had happened. Luke 8:51-56 (NIV)

They laughed because they didn’t understand what He meant when He said He would raise the temple in three days:

19 Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.”20 They replied, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?” 21 But the temple he had spoken of was his body. 22 After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken. John 2:19-21 (NIV)

And again, on the cross:

39 The people who were going by shouted blasphemies at Jesus. They shook their heads at him. 40 “So!” they said. “You were going to destroy the Temple and build it in three days, were you? Save yourself, if you’re God’s son! Come down from the cross!” 41 The chief priests, too, and the scribes and the elders, mocked him. Matthew 27:39-41 (NIV)

And before they put Him on the cross:

28 They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, 29 and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand. Then they knelt in front of him and mocked him. “Hail, king of the Jews!” they said. Matthew 28:28-29.

Then, Sunday came:

5 As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed. 6 “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. 7 But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’” 8 Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid. Mark 16:5-8 (NIV)

People were trembling, bewildered, and afraid. But no one was laughing anymore. From an earthly perspective, Jesus appeared to prove the mockers right. That made His successful performance all the more amazing. Yet, Jesus still has mockers today.  Luke reports that when the women who found the empty tomb told the surviving eleven apostles, they were not immediately believed.

On this Resurrection Sunday, it may be a good time to consider how we respond to those who still doubt what Jesus accomplished. The sight of the risen Jesus is what convinced his followers. Our words of persuasion are no match for people seeing the risen Jesus in our lives. Let us remember today that Jesus died to free all. Yes, He wants us to spread the word. But He knows by firsthand experience that His presence is the greatest persuasion of all.

Pastor Jerry Bader