Rev. Clare Loughrige and Rev. Scott Loughrige
Co-Lead Pastors, Crossroads Church and Ministries
We could say so many things about Easter’s surprise, glory, and good news, and all would be insufficient; still, we’re willing to try and fall short.
Before anything else, here’s what we can’t ignore about Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection: Jesus flipped his day’s religious and social systems on their keester. If people make Easter only about Christ rising from the dead and eternity in Heaven, we will miss some of the significant points of Christ’s life on earth as it already is in Heaven. Yes, Jesus came to resurrect bodies after death AND to resurrect the original intent of the humans God created in this earthy realm.
Here are just a few ways that Jesus restores the dignity and image of God in people:
· First, Jesus, The God/Man, brought the message of his birth to and through a woman.
· At 12, Jesus was found in the temple wowing the Religious Leaders with questions, not answers.
· Jesus, The God/Man, faced the evil one without succumbing to the three temptations: I am what I have— I am what I do — I am what others say about me.
· The first miracle was turning water into wine to save the wedding celebration of a couple who didn’t have the financial resources to celebrate their love.
· The first Jesus’ sermon (reciting Isaiah 61) AND later his most famous sermon (Sermon on the Mount) are all about justice issues.
· Jesus purposely seeks out, wants to be with, touches, builds relationships, and celebrates with the marginalized.
· The people that stayed with Jesus through his death on the cross were not the original 12 disciples but some unnamed women, Mary, the mother of Jesus and her sister, two women named Mary of Clopas, Mary Magdalene, and John.
· The exclamation point of his life was to appear to and ask Mary Magdalene to bring the news of His resurrection to the first 12 disciples. She was an apostle to the apostles!
Our churches must be places where we resurrect the dignity and worth of all people. When we see the inequity and systemic racism and every other ‘ism in our churches and community, resurrected people should call for justice and walk toward the hurting. When women are not equal to men in every position of society, including the Church, resurrected people are compelled to help them find their voice and amplify their message. When we don’t believe survivors of abuse and perpetuate power dynamics that reinforce the hurt of survivors, resurrected people respond to the call to find creative ways to return dignity to those who have had it taken from them.
Creation is longing to see the Church who looks like The God/Man named Jesus. To that end, it is our regular practice to ask the Holy Spirit how we keep people from seeing Christ’s love. We ask for forgiveness for all the things we have done and left undone which have distorted the image of God. May God forgive us, Christ transform us, and the Spirit makes us resurrected people.
We invite you to practice Holy Week with Jesus. Let the story of the final week of Jesus’ life make us people of justice and mercy.
Suppose you don’t have a church home. In that case, we invite you to join Crossroads friends: Palm Sunday as Pastor Hannah Mattson gives us fresh ways to find your story in the final week of Jesus’ life, Maundy Thursday with teachers/worship leaders, Lindsey and Samuel Marks for prayers, and finally, Pastors Clare, Scott, Don as we walk the stations on the cross on Good Friday and the entire community of Crossroads on Easter Sunday. As we journey with Jesus through this life-changing week, may we become ourselves as God intended— like Christ.
For more information on Crossroads Church and Ministries, check out ccmonline.org.