Thomas J Parlette
“A New Level of Life”
Colossians 3: 1-4
4/9/23, Easter
“If I go down – I’m taking you with me.” How many times have you heard that line? We’ve all heard it, many, many times. We’ve heard in dozens of movies and TV shows and maybe in some real life news stories. Maybe someone has actually said it to you personally. Somebody finds themselves in big trouble, and they have no intention of facing the punishment alone – so they threaten to bring someone else along in their suffering.
Sometimes there’s even a line that follows: “That’s not just a threat; it’s a promise,” just to let you know that they aren’t bluffing. If they are going to bear the guilt, they are not going to bear it alone.
It’s human nature not to want to take the blame for something, even if we are guilty of doing something wrong. At precisely such moments of confrontation, of being caught and being held accountable – we turn to our natural defenses. The number one of which is passing the buck, shifting the blame.
All we have to do to find historical evidence of this type of behavior is to flip to the beginning of the Bible. In Genesis chapter 3, when God asked Adam if he indeed disobey and eat the fruit that he was told not to eat, Adam tries to blame it on Eve. “Well… yeah, I did – but it was the woman, that you gave to me, who handed me the fruit, and I ate. She’s to blame, not me.” Adam is implying that he would never have done such a thing if Eve hadn’t given him the fruit. In essence, Adan was saying, “If I’m going down, I’m taking Eve with me.”
Anyone who has ever spent time with children, whether they are your own or someone else’s, has seen this tendency in action. You’ve heard a response like – “It wasn’t my fault. It was my sister / I didn’t do it. It was my brother / Julie pushed her down, not me / I did it… but Billy made me do it.”
It’s our human nature to place blame somewhere else. We don’t want to face the punishment. But to accept blame willingly or even take on the guilt of others – that’s not our standard operating procedure. It’s just against our DNA.
So when Jesus comes along and accepts not only the blame for the things we have done, but also the blame for the things we have left undone – it’s hard for us to comprehend. Instead of hearing what we are used to hearing from other people, instead of being treated the way we have come to expect other people to treat us, Jesus says, “When I go up, I’m taking you with me – to a whole new level of life.” Then he adds, “That’s not a threat; that’s a promise.” And when Jesus makes a promise, you can count on it.
Perhaps you’ve used those words yourself. Again, talking to children, we will often us the threat/promise approach. “If you don’t finish your homework, I’m going to take away your phone – and no video games.” / “If you touch those cookies in the cookie jar, you are going to bed without any TV.” / If you don’t sit still in church, I’m going to spank you when we get home.” Oh, that one is always a good way to make small children feel good about going to church. And then we often add the finishing touch, “That’s not a threat – that’s a promise.” So there.
Unfortunately, the Christian church has taken the threat/promise approach far too often in its history. Some churches say, “If you don’t change your ways, you are going to hell.” / “If you are not actively involved in the worship and ministry of this congregation, you are not a Christian.” / “If your lifestyle does not conform to the standards we have set, you are outside the Kingdom of God.”
But Jesus did not die on the cross to “take us down” with him. He died on the cross to go down for us. He went down in our place. If we are being truly honest, we would all admit that, in the eyes of justice, humanity should have been on that cross. If the guilty are punished for their sins, then we deserve the punishment. If an eternity with God is dependent upon our worthiness to stand in the presence of God – then we’d never make it.
Jesus went down. He didn’t take anyone down with him. Not the soldiers who drove the nails into his hands. Not the crowd who gave him up and jeered at him. Not Pilate who washed his hands of the whole business. Not even Judas, the one who betrayed him.
He went down without a fight. He went down without a complaint. Jesus didn’t whine or try to place the blame on anyone else. But when he came up from the realm of death, he offered to take everyone along – even those who took him down.
That’s what Easter is all about, Charlie Brown. It’s not just an empty tomb announcing that Jesus defeated death. It’s not about Jesus showing the world he couldn’t be put out of business. It’s not even about Jesus wanting to give his followers proof of who he was. None of that mattered of people didn’t understand the significance of the resurrection for their own lives. Jesus already knew what he was capable of doing – he never felt compelled to prove it or give any demonstrations. But if people didn’t personally connect with Jesus’ death and resurrection in their own lives – then none of what happened on Good Friday and Easter morning meant anything.
Before his death on the cross, Jesus told his disciples that he was going to prepare a place for them. He shared with his followers the teachings of a better life here on earth. And he promised then that wherever they went and whatever they would be doing in the future – he would be with them.
That was his promise. He didn’t threaten them. He promised. And to this day, he has kept his promise, among his new disciples, you and me, and all who continue to put their trust and hope in him.
The resurrection finalized our ultimate connection to Jesus Christ. Because he went down for us, he came up with us, and takes us along with him. He has taken our lives with him to the next step, the next level of life. Through the resurrection, our lives have been “kicked up a notch.” We’re not on the same level anymore. It’s impossible for us to be connected with the resurrected Lord and still consider ourselves bottom-dwellers.
On Easter, we’re used to hearing the story of Easter, with Mary and the empty tomb. We expect to hear how Jesus died, was buried, and especially the ending where he rose again from the grave. On this Easter, from what has written in Colossians, we are also hearing how intimately our lives as Christians are tied into Jesus resurrection. We have been raised with him to a new level of life. That’s not some future event. That’s now, that’s here, where we are and where we live. And Paul; tells us to seek and to love things that are above. He implores us to focus, to set our minds on those things, things at a higher level of existence, because that is where Christ has taken us.
Our lives have been changed, not because of anything in particular we have done or will do – our lives have been changed because Jesus has changed them. And because we are eternally connected to his life, we have the power the change the lives of others. When others view in us our “resurrected” lives, they are able to see Jesus.
Once upon a time, there was a six- year- old boy named Joey. Joey desperately wanted to meet God, but he knew it was a long trip to where God lived. So Joey packed a suitcase with some of his mom’s chocolate-chip cookies and a few juice boxes, and he set out on his journey.
He hadn’t gotten very far from home when he met an old man sitting in a park, staring at some birds playing in a fountain. Joey sat down next to him and opened his suitcase. He was about to pop a straw into his juice box, when he remembered his manners – it would be rude to eat in front of someone else. So Joey offered to old man one of his chocolate chips cookies. The man gratefully accepted it and smiled at Joey. His smile was pleasant and inviting that Joey wanted to see it again – so he offered him one of his juice boxes as well. Again the man smiled at him, and Joey was delighted! The two of them sat there all afternoon eating cookies and smiling back and forth, but they never said a word.
It began to get dark, and Joey realized how tired he was and he got up to leave – but before he had gone more than a few steps, he turned around, ran back to his new friend, and gave him a hug. The old man gave him his biggest smile yet.
When Joey got home, his mother was surprised by the look of joy on her son’s face, and she asked him, “Joey, what did you do today that made you so happy?
“I had lunch with God – and you know what, God has the most beautiful smile I’ve seen!”
Meanwhile, the old man returned to his home, where he lived with his son. His son was puzzled by the look of utter peace on his Dad’s face, and he asked, “Dad, what did you do today that made you so happy?”
“I ate cookies in the park with God – and you know, God is much younger than I expected.”(1)
The world can be a scary, sad and lonely place in which to live. We might not always like what life dishes out. We might not always like the problems and difficulties that we have to face. Sometimes we get tired and worm out. Sometimes it feels like we’ve been robbed of all hope. We may even question the meaning and purpose of life itself.
That’s why God has given us each other in communion with Christ Jesus. Together, we can see above the pain, the hatred, the mistrust and the violence that goes on all around us. Together, we can reach up to find the strength to endure and the spirit to persevere. Together, we can find the joy in living that intended for us.
Together, Jesus has taken us all to whole new level of life. Not down – but up. Life is good, when we connect with Jesus. Life is joyous, when we keep ourselves focused on things above. Life is all about being taken up with Jesus. Meaning in life, fulfillment in life and happiness in life come from those simple things that Jesus taught.
Like sharing cookies and juice with God on a sunny spring day – so it is on the next level of life, which Jesus’ resurrection makes possible.
May God be praised.
Alleluia! Alleluia! Amen.
1. Richard W. Ferris, “Taking You Up With Him”, Sermons on the Second Readings: Series I, Cycle A, CSS Publishing, 2004, p. 184-185.
