Reflections on Easter: He is risen indeed but who are these people?

It's Easter Sunday.

For Black Folks like myself, Easter Sunday and Mothers Day are our two official MUST GO to church Sundays of the year.  The occasion is marked by rocking 2-3 hour services, loud colored couch inspired zoot suits, and then an Easter Dinner.

Growing up the denomination I was in, we did not celebrate Easter.  Oh no...it was clear that we celebrated Jesus'  resurrection every Sunday.  I don't know about that one because there was little to no celebrating in the services (that was what the evil DENOMINATIONS did).  I will cut them some slack....since they were a dead denomination with dead churches they had no clue about the power of resurrection.

It was only after I left there and started on my own spiritual journey where we celebrated the Lenten season that I even began to understand the symbolism and significance of the resurrection.  It's only while studying the Gospels during Lent and understanding Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday that I truly connected the dots with faith.

This year I am skipping the Resurrection Sunday services and I couldn't help but think about what would Jesus think about what his "followers' are doing these days.

Not the Jesus of the New Testament

I remember my first time actually reading the Gospels through and thinking:  "This is NOT the Jesus I learned about in church".  The Jesus I learned about in church growing up was a guy who was ready with his pad to write everything down you did wrong so that he could cast you into Hell.  He was especially strict about church attendance, musical instruments, clapping during songs, and women teaching.

The Jesus I read about in the New Testament was a revolutionary figure.  He was against all the rules and religion that had become a burden on the people.  His way was to teach the people through stories they could understand and not use big words that only the Pharisees could understand.  The Jesus of the New Testament seemed to care about poor and lost people.  He and his friends didn't go and buy a building where they formed committees and only talked to OUR KIND OF PEOPLE.  They were out on the road teaching, healing, and even resurrecting people spiritually and physically.  The Jesus of the New Testament even took part in improving race relations by going to talk to a despised Samaritan.

It's hard to find The Jesus of the New Testament and his teachings in church today.  I have often felt that the modern church takes more of its cues from Paul (a former Pharisee) than it did from jesus which is why the church looks like a church of the Pharisees.

(WWJT) What Would Jesus Think?

I started wondering what would Jesus Think about these spectacles that happen to commemorate his resurrection?  Would he think:  Why don't y'all save that money and go help some people?  Instead of a fancy Easter dinner why not go feed some hungry people.  Why not give your testimonies of how your lives was resurrected?

Then I start thinking, Well what would Jesus think about these people who call themselves his followers but have no hope, no love, and no power.  Would he say:  I came to establish the Kingdom of God and you all have built religions and idols.

It's hard for me to imagine that Jesus would be pleased with a church that is focused on materialism, judgment, and then being hypocritical because they can't even follow their own judgments!

What would Jesus think about the movement that bears his name??  I can't think he would pleased with it.  I'm not even him and I'm ashamed, disappointed, and ticked off by people saying their "CHRISTians" yet bear no resemblance to the carpenter from Nazareth and his teachings.

Who are these people? 

Depart from me. I never knew you

These are the sad words Jesus said he would tell the people who claimed to prophesy in his name and do all these great works in his name but yet these people did not serve the least of these.

I have to wonder if Jesus walked into a church on this Resurrection Sunday and someone said to him. He is Risen and He gives the standard answer back:  He is risen indeed

Would he also say to that person:  Who are these people?  I don't know them.

To God be the Glory