We will culminate our series on revival by reflecting for a bit on the historical, theological, spiritual, physical, and all-powerful moment that is the basis for revival – The Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

This week is Holy Week. Sometimes it is easy to go through the motions of these momentous weeks that even non-denominational Protestants like us stop and reflect upon in our minimal church calendar. This year has special power and significance for me and I think for us as a church. We have experienced deep lament and loss the last two years. We are well acquainted with the bottom of the J-Curve. We are hungry for ascent, for renewal, for resurrection hope. This week it seems more fitting to follow the story arc once again from Triumphal Entry, to Passover, to rejection, to suffering, to death, and then ultimately to glorious life. I encourage you to follow that arc this week, as you open the Scriptures, perhaps use our Holy Week devotional guide, pray for an hour in our all-week-24-hour prayer room, and as you simply pray through what our Master experienced and absorbed that week – for you. 

One of the reasons I believe the gospel stubbornly even when deconstructive thoughts enter my mind is the craziness of our good news story, that through suffering and death comes life. I really don’t think any human would write that – and even the myth stories that involve sacrifice unto death still ultimately come back to human effort, appeasement of gods who often act like men, and thus wind their way back to a transactional relationship between gods and men. The gospel is a story of pure grace and promise. That is a true story that is revealed from on high, not created from below. 

And the Resurrection is the universe re-creating, new order, new life moments that history and ontology hinge upon. Praise be to God! It is the most counter-cultural, truth from on high, God-created, God-sized truth and event that changes everything. It changes us. Friend, it can change you. Please re-believe that, if it has become a fuzzy and dusty truth lately.

I think about Thomas, my namesake, and the character we will consider this Easter, who needed to ‘see’ in order to believe. Even though that was not the way Thomas needed to really See, Thomas finally did believe, and he exclaimed what I think is the bottom line of revival – “My Lord and my God” (John 20:28). I don’t know if Thomas yelled that or whispered it under the weight of tears, but he expressed it from his newly changed heart. I pray that we express that, too, as a church, in all of life, to the glory of His Name. 

In light of this Holy Week, brother and sister, let us seek renewal and revival. Of course, on God’s terms. In His ways. For His glory. Amen.