Change Out of Funeral Clothes!
[6-minute read]
If we don’t live out the realities and redemption of Easter in our Christian life, we will always be walking around in ‘funeral clothes’ doing what people do during mourning – relying on self-soothing habits to cope with hopelessness, constantly seeking activities to divert our attention from feeling gloomy, and staying in echo chambers with other ‘mourners’ constantly crying over spilt milk. Life becomes about what we have done or what was done to us instead of who and what we can be through Christ, our resurrected Saviour.
We can see all the signs when we look at Simon Peter’s behaviour after Resurrection Sunday. Known characteristically as the disciple who was often the first to respond, the fastest to shoot from the hips, and the one who created the most quotable (and questionable) soundbites, Peter was a shadow of his former self after Jesus’ resurrection. It was as though he missed the announcement at Easter! He was still moping over his behaviour before the Resurrection.
How do we stop mourning and change out of funeral clothes?
DO NOT ALLOW GRIEF & GUILT TO FESTER
Peter’s mind was likely stuck in a constant playback loop: “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.” (John 6:66-69)?”, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the Living God.” (Matthew 16:15-20). “Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will… Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.” (Matthew 26:31-35). And finally, the five words that must have hung heavy on him, “I don’t know the man.” (Matthew 26:69-75).
From that point on, the Bible did not record anything spoken by Peter. Even when he ran into the empty tomb and “saw the strips of linen lying there” (John 20:3-7). Even when Jesus first appeared to His disciples in a room with locked doors. Even when the Lord reappeared again a week later to show Thomas His wounds and nail marks. In all these instances, Peter was silent without the usual hyperboles that he was known for until the events in John 21.
The simple reason was that he could not get over himself. He could not bring himself to reconnect with the One he had alienated and deserted in His hour of need. What kind of person would do that to a close friend? We are all capable of hurting people, even those we love dearly. But we don’t have to allow grief and guilt to fester and condemn us to a life sentence of regrets. The Bible tells us that King David really messed up when he committed the secret sin of stealing another man’s wife. As a result, God punished him by taking away their illegitimate son. But he took responsibility for his sin and its consequences and through genuine repentance, found God’s redemption. (2 Samuel 12:13-14).
David’s heartfelt cries to the Lord were expressed in words that we all can use to develop honesty and humility to face our own humanity. “Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your unfailing love; according to Your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.” (Psalms 51:1-2). “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from Your presence or take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.” (Psalm51:10-12).
DO NOT SLIP INTO FAMILIARITY
People have the tendency to keep themselves busy to subdue their sensitivity to the Holy Spirit’s prompting that something is not quite right in their hearts. They hide behind habit-forming routines and activities to avoid facing God’s convictions. They are the faithful spouse, the dutiful family member and the peaceful person who avoids conflicts at all cost but at the same time, they are people who lack intimacy with God and spiritual maturity.
Guilt-stricken Peter kept silent about his grief and decided to return to fishing – something he was familiar with. Who could accuse him of living an unproductive life if he went out fishing every day and gave it his best shot? Not knowing that he was actually running away from unresolved pain and guilt, the other disciples took his lead and followed him fishing. Everything seemed normal and right.
But Jesus noticed the waning friendship with Peter and his uncharacteristic silence. He reappeared a third time when Peter and the other disciples were exhausted after an unproductive night fishing. (John 21:1-14). Suddenly, the fishing expedition turned into something they had not expected. First, Jesus turned an empty net into a full haul. Then, without identifying Himself, He invited the disciples to have breakfast onshore. “Friends, haven’t you any fish?” and “Bring some of the fish you have just caught.” There was neither malice nor resentment when He initiated the reconnection with people who had deserted Him. It was as though nothing had changed; yet everything had changed. Their fractured relationship with Jesus had been reset – over the breaking of bread reminiscent of the last supper they shared with Him.
DO NOT STRUGGLE BUT BELIEVE
Surely, the way Peter had nervously “wrapped his outer garment around him and jumped into the water” (who does that?) did not escape the Lord’s notice. He caught sight of this disciple’s passion when he swam rigorously about a hundred meters towards the shore where He had prepared a cookout with fish that came from nowhere. The Lord knew that His disciple was struggling with remorse when he readily responded to His request for some of their catch and “dragged the net ashore” with 153 fish in it. Yet he said nothing to Jesus the whole time.
Jesus had to break the silence to set Peter free of his internal turmoil and mental dilemma. He remembered how this disciple had struggled when he had stepped out of another boat and briefly walked on water before he sank because he had over-estimated himself. Every instance of compassion that Peter encountered with the Lord only amplified the Word that Jesus had spoken into his life: “And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. (Matthew 16:18-19).
This tells us that we can always be sure that the Lord will always keep up His end of the relationship with us. Wherever we fall, He is always there to pick us up and restore us to His destiny.
The Lord did the same thing for an obscure Samaritan woman who had a lifetime of bad relationships she was not proud of. Yet one who had been silenced by guilt and shame all her life became a voice that was a catalyst for others to believe in Jesus when they testified, ‘We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world.’ (John 4:42).
Living with Jesus as our resurrected Lord and Saviour repurposes our daily existence and our connection with God. We will find His heart in every conversation and interaction, and in every decision and commitment we make. On the other hand, living with excuses means that we are unable to see God’s goodness and His plans for us and we will always be living from problem to problem (whether we will face or avoid them).
It is time for us to change out of funeral clothes so we can celebrate resurrection to the fullest in our lives!
This is a summary and reflection based on a virtual BIR Session held on 15 April 2023.
