Being the Resurrection

Below is a story by Peter Rollings that has become a favourite of mine:

Late that evening a group of unknown disciples packed their few belongings and left for a distant shore, for they could not bear to stay another moment in the place where their Messiah had just been crucified. Weighted down with sorrow, they left that place, never to return. Instead they traveled a great distance in search of a land that they could call home. After months of difficult travel, they finally happened upon an isolated area that was ideal for setting up a new community. Here they found fertile ground, clean water, and a nearby forest from which to harvest material needed to build shelter. So they settled there, founding a community far from Jerusalem, a community where they vowed to keep the memory of Christ alive and live in simplicity, love, and forgiveness, just as he had taught them.

The members of this community lived in great solitude for over a hundred years, spending their days reflecting on the life of Jesus and attempting to remain faithful to his ways. And they did all this despite the overwhelming sorrow in their heart.

But their isolation was eventually broken when, early one morning, a small band of missionaries reached the settlement. These missionaries were amazed at the community they found. What was most startling to them was that these people had no knowledge of the resurrection and the ascension of Christ, for they had left Jerusalem before His return from the dead on the third day. Without hesitation, the missionaries gather together all the community members and recounted what had occurred after the imprisonment and bloody crucifixion of their Lord.

That evening there was a great festival in the camp as people celebrated the news of the missionaries. Yet, as the night progressed, on of the missionaries noticed that the leader of the community was absent. This bothered the young man, so he set out to look for this respected elder. Eventually he found the community's leader crouched low in a small hut on the fringe of the village, praying and weeping.

"Why are you in such sorrow?" asked the missionary in amazement. "Today is a time for great celebration."

"It may indeed be a day for great celebration, but this is also a day of sorrow," replied the elder, who remained crouched on the floor. "Since the founding of this community we have followed the ways taught to us by Christ. We pursed his ways faithfully even though it cost us dearly, and we remained resolute despite the belief that death had defeated Him and would one day defeat us also."

The elder slowly got to his feet and looked the missionary compassionately in the eyes.

"Each day we have forsaken our very lives for Him because we judged Him wholly worthy of the sacrifice, wholly worthy of our being. But now, following your news, I am concerned that my children and my children's children may follow Him, not because of His radical life and supreme sacrifice, but selfishly, because His sacrifice will ensure their personal salvation and eternal life."

With this the elder turned and left the hut, making his way to the celebrations that could be heard dimly in the distance, leaving the missionary crouched on the floor.

~ From The Orthodox Heretic by Peter Rollins

The first time I read it, it gave me tingles as the significance of what this parable was trying to convey sunk in. After recently sharing this concept with my students, I asked them to journal about the following question: "If there was no heaven or eternal life to be gained by following Jesus, would you still choose to follow Him?"  Some of them routinely journaled about the question to get the assignment done, but others truly grappled with the question and gave deep thoughtful answers (some of which I will share in a later post).

What about you?  Would you choose to follow Jesus and live life the way He taught us to live simply because it is the best way, and not because there is something to be gained by it?