Resurrection as the Long Game

Resurrection as the Long Game
Rev. Dr. Chris Hensley
Based on John 10:22 – 30
Sardis Baptist Church
May 11, 2025

             Much of anything of worth in this life takes time. We see that in things such as relationships between people – whether romantic or plutonic – in bringing new life into the world, in starting a family, in gardening – it took our blueberry bushes three years to produce their first berries, as well as in many other aspects of our lives. From learning new skills, landing new or different jobs, moving, recovering from medical procedures, and the list may continue ad nauseam. Even still, as our berry bushes mature and produce, they need continual care. As we marry and have children, our relationships continue to develop and grow. As we learn new skills, we continue to work and practice so that we might add a flourish here and there. Even masters of arts, skills, and subjects admit that they have continual learning to pursue as mysteries and misunderstandings arise through their continued practice.

In both of our passages this morning, there is an underlying understanding that what is happening in the life of the person wrestling with faith and a relationship with the Divine, is an ongoing process and holds an inherent understanding that it is the long game that is important. No instant gratification, no easy answers here.

The Psalm is one of the most famous passages of scripture in the Western world and is printed on the backs of untold orders of service at funeral homes all throughout the southern American states and perhaps beyond. It is a psalm of trust, even in the midst of heartache, uncertainty, or trouble. This is, of course, a hard thing for many people to accept without question. To blindly trust anyone is an already difficult challenge which sets us up for both great potential of reward and pain. Never mind completely trusting a deity with whom we have not had any tangible interaction. I say that not to be dismissive, simply to point out the difficulty of the task with which the psalmist is busying themselves. Though, this is part of the Christian experience, to have trust in the Divine as revealed in scripture, in relationship, in nature, and in ourselves. The Psalmist paints a picture of trusting a Divine being who is presented as a shepherd – in this context it is a kingly shepherd who not only protects the flock but rules over the flock – as well as gracious host who provides for and protects their guests in light of all that may be coming after them in this life.

These are hard for us when we live in a world which is dominated by persons from the top down who push for hard strength and immediate gratification. This, though, is not the intended way and for persons of faith in the Divine as revealed in the Hebrew Bible and Christian Testament. Soft strength, long suffering – patience amidst strife or hardship – and trust that the struggles of this life are not the intention but something better can be at hand, not just in the life to come but in the here and now. It merely takes time and work.

We shift to the Christian Testament reading and find John’s Jesus wrapping up a section and existing in a brief interim between his ministry proper and his entry into Jerusalem for the final time. At this point, John’s Jesus has had it out with religious and political leaders time and again. There is something with which we must deal at the beginning as we look to this passage, as well as many others in John’s account with intentionality and in earnest. Jesus comes into conflict with a group whom John identifies as Jews frequently. Now, John is a very Jewish book – highlighting three Passover celebrations, many of the conflicts happen at Jewish festivals, symbols of bread and water are important for John as well as the Jewish people throughout the Hebrew Bible, Hebrew Bible heroes and figures play prominent roles within the Johannine tradition. This, along with the author’s apparent knowledge of Ancient Palestine of Jesus’ day in the first half of the first century, removed from the historical placement of the writing of this Gospel, likely in the later half of the first century or early second, would suggest a longing for wholeness which is lost. There is pain in the author’s words over the reality that the communities of Judaism and the early Church have gone their separate ways. We must understand the context of the writings and take seriously the Biblical text or we flirt with disastrous interpretations which lead to anti-Semitism and acts of severe violence all in the name of a figure of Jesus who never actually existed and never actually said what is claimed of him.

I digress, The Christian Testament text is wrestling with the idea that Jesus’ identity of Messiah is lost on those seeking a more immediate and quick answer. The fact is, for John, Jesus has been teaching these folks and showing them signs of who he is for three years and they have yet to buy the message. At this point, it seems anyway, the message is lost on those who continue to beg for an immediate and easy answer. Hence John’s apparent sorrow at the breaking of the community. Jesus concludes this encounter with an allusion to his earlier “I am the Good Shepherd” statement, one of seven “I am” statements throughout John. This image harkens back to psalms such as ours for this morning as well as other Hebrew Bible illustrations – a very Jewish thing to do, connect to the Hebrew Bible – and identify Jesus with the Divine protector and provider. Further, Jesus flat out states that he and God are one and those whom God has given to Jesus are his.

This begs the question of who has been given and what does that mean. I cannot answer that for you because there are many different ways to interpret that very question within the large umbrella that is Christianity. What I will say is that we who decide to pursue the Divine in and through the person of Jesus the Nazarene are called to participate in the long game, to recognize that the idea of resurrection is a slow burning process which calls the followers into intentional work in the here and now and hope for that which is to come.

References

Anderson, Bernhard W. Out of the Depths: The Psalms Speak for Us Today 3^rd Ed,

Westminster John Knox Press, Louisville, KY, 2000, p.180-87

Burridge, Richard A. Four Gospels, One Jesus? A Symbolic Reading 3^rd Ed, William B.

Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, MI, 2014, p.149-53

 

Resurrection as the Long Game