Beyond Vanity & Despair, Towards Resurrection

Bible passage: Luke 24:13-17, 25-27
“13. Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. 14. They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. 15. As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; 16. but they were kept from recognizing him. 17. He asked them, "What are you discussing together as you walk along?" They stood still, their faces downcast. ”

There are many religions in the world. 

Although exact statistics are not available, it is said that if you include the primitive religions in remote areas of Africa, there are over hundreds of them, and if you only consider religions with more than 500,000 followers, there are about 20. Among these numerous religions, which religion is the true religion? 

‘Siddharatha’, who founded Buddhism, is buried in India; Islam’s ‘Muhammad’ has a tomb in Saudi Arabia; The tomb of Confucius, the founder of Confucianism, is in China. After they died, they entered the tomb and were unable to overcome the power of death, where they rotted into dust and returned to vanity and despair. But there is no tomb for Jesus. At first there was a tomb, but three days after His death, He overcame the power of death in the grave and was resurrected, so the tomb is now empty. 

If a religion that can give life to humans is a true religion, Jesus' empty tomb serves as evidence that Christianity is the only true religion. When the philosopher Socrates was dying after taking poison, his disciples mourned the death of their teacher and asked him, “It would be nice if people could die and live again. Can’t people live again?” He answered: “I wish so, but no one can live again.” And he too is dead and buried in the grave. But Jesus speaks clearly in John 11:25 saying, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies. ” 

In today's scripture, the two disciples, who did not believe in the fact that Jesus was resurrected, left Jerusalem in emptiness and despair and went down to a village called Emmaus. However, the two disciples who were going down to Emmaus met the resurrected Jesus on the road and were able to return to Jerusalem with hope and energy. In a world full of vanity and despair, we must overcome darkness, overcome the forces of death, and live a vital life full of hope, joy, and life with the spirituality of resurrection. In the scripture given today, let us find out how the resurrected Jesus enabled the two disciples to overcome vanity and despair and live a life of resurrection and hope. The resurrected Jesus broke the stereotypes of the two disciples who did not believe in resurrection.

 In the scripture (Luke Chapter 24), on the Sunday morning that Jesus was resurrected, when Mary Magdalene and some women went to the tomb to prepare spices to put on Jesus' body, they met an angel who told them that Jesus had been resurrected. The angels said to the women, “Remember what Jesus said when He was alive: that ‘He will be crucified, but on the third day He will rise again.’ ” They said, “Yes, we remember Jesus saying that,” and ran to the apostles to tell them the news of Jesus’ resurrection. At a time when the fact of Jesus' resurrection was becoming known, two disciples who were not apostles but still followed the Lord zealously, did not believe in the resurrection of Jesus and, falling into emptiness and despair, were leaving Jerusalem and going down to a village called Emmaus. 

The road to life in this world is like the road to Emmaus; Endless sadness and despair of vanity are our path in life. Even though the resurrected Jesus appeared to them and walked with them, they did not recognize Him at all. What could be the reason? 3 Verse 16 of the scripture says, “But their eyes were prevented from recognizing Him.” The Greek word for blindfolded here is ‘krateyo’, and its original meaning is ‘a state of being strongly obsessed with something.’ What on earth were the two disciples going down to Emmaus so obsessed with that they did not believe in the resurrection of Jesus? They were caught up in preconceptions and stereotypes. What stereotype? A stereotype is a fixed idea. I was strongly obsessed with the stereotype that ‘people are finished when they die’. 

If a person is obsessed with fixed ideas, he becomes sad, depressed, and lives a lonely life, as shown in verse 17. We each have our own prejudices and stereotypes. If you are unable to see new things because of your prejudices and stereotypes, and thus make no progress in your faith or progress in life, you are a truly foolish person. What breaks this is the Lord’s resurrection event. So, Jesus said this to the two disciples who were obsessed with the stereotype that ‘once a person dies, it is over.’ In Verse 25, He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken!” Is there anyone who still doesn't believe in the resurrection? 

Some people do not believe in the resurrection or the events mentioned in the Bible. Some people say, “How can we believe in this when we are going to the moon by rocket?” Jesus called those with such prejudices and stereotypes ‘fools.’ He rebuked them for being dull-hearted and slow to believe. There is a proverb in Korea that says ‘a frog in a well.’ A frog living in a well knows the extent of the sky as the width of the well entrance. This is because when you look up at the sky from inside a well, you only see the width of the mouth of the well. 

The frogs living in the well will think, ‘The sky looks small and round.’ It is a proverb that teaches the lesson that people who are immersed in their own world or who do not know how to live in the world cannot properly understand broad issues or truths. People who are bound by their own righteousness and framework think that they are the standard, that only they are right, and that only their judgment is right. But we can always be wrong. The only one who is right is God, the Lord, and the Holy Spirit. This world is not just about humans. 

There are plants and animals. Because beings from multiple dimensions live together in the same space, knowledge of dimensions allows us to understand our lives more broadly. Last week, while studying the topic ‘Space and Dimension’ in the Academy MIS class, I gave the following example. It was an example from a book I read a long time ago. The title of the book was ‘The 4th Dimension,’ and I am telling you this story because I think it will be very helpful in understanding dimensions. A caterpillar and a caterpillar larvae were taking a walk on a trail when a child came out for a walk and found two caterpillars crawling on the ground. 5 Out of curiosity, the child picked up the caterpillar larvae. He looked at it and found it disgusting, so he just put it down on the ground. Caterpillar larvae belong to the second dimension. This is because it does not recognize space and only crawls on a flat surface. 

However, a human child belongs to the third dimension. When a child picks up a caterpillar and puts it down, the action is nothing to the three-dimensional child, but in the two-dimensional world of the caterpillar, something very mysterious happens. The caterpillar is surprised and questions caterpillar larvae, who has reappeared. "No? Where have you been? How did you suddenly come back to life after disappearing in an instant?” The caterpillar larvae replies, “I do not know either. I suddenly lost consciousness and when I opened my eyes, I found myself back here.” 

The caterpillar remarks, “Wow, how could this happen? It’s truly unbelievable and amazing.” There is a story that the caterpillars in the neighborhood found out about this and said, “Wow, he really came back from the dead. Let’s have a party.” So, it is said that all the caterpillars in the neighborhood were so happy that they had a party. This is nothing to a child in the third dimension. However, in the two-dimensional world of caterpillars, something miraculous, surprising, and truly incomprehensible happened. In terms of the concepts of space and dimension, humans live in a one- dimensional world, which is the space of the first heaven, and Jesus belongs to the fourth dimension, which is the space of the fourth heaven. The Bible records events from the first to the fourth dimension. So, when people who come to church for the first time listen to a sermon, they often don't believe it because they hear it from the level of the first dimension of human flesh. ‘When a person dies, it's over. How does one come back to life?’ 

This is a one- dimensional idea. And this is impossible in the one-dimensional physical world. However, Jesus belongs to the fourth dimension of spirit. Therefore, if you think four-dimensionally, the resurrection of Jesus is possible. In John Chapter 11, there is a scene where Jesus raises Lazarus, who had been dead for three days. This is impossible in a one-dimensional world, but it becomes possible when Lazarus' tomb is covered with a four-dimensional space and Jesus, who belongs to the fourth dimension, acts with the power of the fourth dimension. The splitting of the Red Sea is impossible in the first dimension, but it is possible in the third dimension, the spirit dimension. This is because the principle of dimension is that the high dimension dominates the low dimension, and the principle of dimension is that the characteristics of the high dimension appear in a space where the high dimension and the low dimension coexist. In this way, I hope that you will break through narrow-minded prejudices and stereotypes and move beyond vanity and despair to the faith of resurrection. 

The resurrected Lord broadened the horizons of the two disciples, enabling them to look beyond vanity and despair and even to resurrection. Jesus visited the two disciples who were going down to Emmaus in vanity and despair, and even shared a meal with them in an intimate manner, as in verse 27. As a result, in verse 31, the spiritual eyes of the two disciples became bright and they recognized the resurrected Lord. And they said to each other in verse 32, “Were not our hearts burning within us while He was speaking to us on the road, while He was explaining the Scriptures to us?” The word ‘burning’ here is ‘kaio’ in Greek, which means to kindle, turn on a fire, a burning flame, or a light that brightens the darkness. 

 Therefore, the words that “the two disciples’ hearts burning” can be interpreted as ‘their vision became brighter.’ When they heard the words spoken by the Lord, a light was turned on in their hearts, the darkness disappeared, their spiritual light became bright, their vision broadened, and they recognized Jesus. What people who do not believe and those who do believe but do not believe well have in common is that they have a narrow perspective. They can only see what is in front of their eyes every day, that is, what is in the physical world. If you truly believe in Jesus, your perspective will broaden and you will be able to see the world after death. So, if you look at the people living in this land, they have a narrow perspective, so they can never live at a loss. In this world, if you die, it's over, so how can you live at a loss? You can never sacrifice. You can't live for others. 

However, as your perspective expands, life on this earth is seen as a place to practice to become spiritually mature, and you become good at giving in, giving alms, and making sacrifices. Why? You can do these because your perspective is broadened and you look beyond this world to what you will stand before God after death. There is a term called ‘the overview effect.’ A major psychological change seen in astronauts who have explored space is that their values change and their outlook on life changes when they view the Earth far away from space. Most astronauts who have been to space may have pride and arrogance in saying that they have been to space, but on the contrary, they become more humble. It makes one wonder how small the Earth is compared to the vast universe and how insignificant the humans within it are. 

The Earth seen from space is just a tiny dot, so how foolish it is to argue and fight with each other. 8 Rather than just looking at the situation right in front of you and fighting and hating each other, if you look far from a high place, you can change your negative mind and there is no difficulty nor misfortune that you cannot overcome. Don't just look at what's right in front of you, look further ahead and draw the bigger picture. There is a famous quote from Charlie Chaplin: ‘The farther you look at life, the more comedy it becomes.’ Apostle Paul also experienced this perspective effect. In 2 Corinthians 12:2, the Apostle Paul has a mysterious experience of going to paradise in the third heaven. Apostle Paul, who came to see the indescribably beautiful paradise, said that knowing Jesus alone was the noblest knowledge, and confessed that he came to regard everything in this world other than Jesus as ‘dung.’ If we knew the world of resurrection, we would not live so narrow-mindedly. You can live boldly. In 1967, Erickson, a 17-year-old athlete, suffered an accident while diving in the ocean.

 Paralyzed from the neck down, she was overcome with all the unhappy emotions a human being could experience, to the point where she felt bitterness, frustration, resentment, anger, and even the urge to commit suicide. Then one day she saw her vision of Jesus hanging on the cross. She saw Jesus hanging on the cross, helpless, like her, unable to move at all. However, when she heard that Jesus was resurrected after three days, her perspective on life broadened. She learned that the glory of resurrection comes only through the pain of the cross. She was given perspective not only on her present but also on her future aspirations. So, she confessed as follows, “I now have hope for the future. The Bible says that our bodies are ‘glorified’ in heaven. 

 Although now my fingers are shriveled and bent, my muscles are weak, my knees are twisted, and I have no feeling from the shoulders down, one day I will have a new body clothed in righteousness that is light and bright and powerful and dazzling. No other religion or philosophy promises a new body and mind. Only in the gospel of Christ’s resurrection can wounded people find this amazing hope.” Yes, for Christians, death is like the door into heaven. Just as when you open that door, another yard appears, just as when the door of death opens, heaven appears. We can look out the heavenly landscape through the window of resurrection. When Jesus returns, those who have died in the Lord will be transformed into a spiritual body like the resurrected body of Jesus, a body that will never get sick, nor die, nor rot again and will live forever. 

Also, the fact that the two disciples’ hearts were burning literally means that their cold heart became burning with passion. The two disciples who went down to Emmaus, discouraged by vanity and despair, must have felt like they had made every step. However, after meeting the resurrected Lord, their perspective broadened, they regained vitality, and their heart became warm. When they regained that burning heart, their joy and enjoyment were restored. I hope that your joy and enjoyment will be restored in your worship. Why do you drink, take drugs and smoke? Because there is no joy and no pleasure in life. There are people who get upset no matter what you do. Aren’t kids like that during their adolescence? I think faith also has adolescence. 

People who are always moody, prone to saying “I’m annoyed,” stubborn, and rebellious should quickly get out of their religious adolescence. 10 Please. There are people who only worship with their head. Now, I want you to not only worship with your head, but bring it down to your heart. If the Word is only lingering in your head, you cannot live a dynamic religious life. You have to pull it down to your heart. Even though the distance from head to heart is 30cm, it is said to be the longest distance in the world. I hope that when you meet the resurrected Lord, your perspective will broaden and your heart will become warm, so that you can live the rest of your life for the Lord and live a dynamic life of faith that is passionately loyal and bears fruit. The resurrected Lord made it possible for the two disciples to overcome their limitations and live a life of resurrection.

 In today's scripture, before meeting the apostles, the resurrected Jesus personally appeared to the two disciples at Emmaus, met them, had a meal with them, and taught them the Bible, making them believe in the resurrection. How much grace, love, and consideration is this? Nevertheless, the two disciples did not readily believe that Jesus had been resurrected. Why is that so? Because this was the limit of the faith of the two disciples. During our lives, we may encounter various kinds of limitations, become frustrated and despair, but the greatest limitation humans have is death. Who can overcome this limitation of death? According to 1 Corinthians 15:55, only Jesus abolished death, the greatest limitation of humanity, by breaking the enemy devil's power over death and resurrecting from the grave. Therefore, true Christians who believe in the Lord's resurrection can live a life of resurrection that goes beyond limitations. There is a world-renowned vocalist from Italy named Bocelli. He had poor eyesight from a young age, and at the age of 12 he was hit in the eye by a ball while playing soccer and lost his eyesight completely. He was poor. He also lost the opportunity to study. He was a good singer, but because he was blind, no one invited him to the stage, which made him frustrated. This was his limit. Isn't it clear to anyone that life has its limits? 

However, he gained courage after hearing the message of the resurrection from the dead at a church on Easter. He overcame the limitations of his blindness and went to law school to study and become a lawyer. After his life as a lawyer gave him some leisure time, he could not give up his dream of vocal music and worked hard to overcome the limitations of his blindness and sing deeper and more stable songs. By the way, when Bocelli meets people and greets them, doesn’t he usually bow with two of his fingers while making a V shape? However, Bocelli is said to have always raised three fingers in greeting. So when people ask why he greets with three fingers, he says it is because no matter what difficulty he encounters, all problems are solved within three days, and because Jesus rose from the grave after three days, all dark forces will be gone in three days. The limitations of the dark life of blindness and poverty were all swept away by the power of resurrection.

 I hope that you, too, will have faith that overcomes your limitations and the faith of resurrection that will resolve all your concerns and worries within 3 hours, not 3 days. The resurrected Jesus allowed the two disciples to overcome the limitations of vanity and despair and return to Jerusalem to live a wonderful life testifying to the Lord's resurrection. Life is like driving a car with limited gas and going to your destination. When driving a long distance, if you run out of gas, you can refill at a gas station along the way, but in life, there is no gas station where you can refill your gas. This means that you cannot ask for 3 or 5 years of time, like putting fuel in a car, to be put back in as much as you have wandered as you hit a limit in your life. There is not enough fuel in life to live like that, leaning to the left or right, wasting time on carousing, and wandering here and there. 

In Korean, there is a word called ‘end’. I introduce it because it seems like a very meaningful word and is also related to resurrection. It means ‘the end’, but the word ‘head’ is added to the end of the word and the word ‘end’ is used. ‘End’ does not simply mean the end of something, but a new beginning. Just as one day ends but the next new day begins, just as a year ends at the end of the year but becomes the beginning of a new year, there is death at the 'end' of our lives, but death is not the end, but the beginning of a new life of resurrection. Please remember that the end is not the last, but the beginning of a new beginning. There is a saying like this in English too. The word ‘last’. It means it is the last. However, ‘last’ has another meaning. It means it continues. ‘Last’ seems to be the last, so it means that something new continues. If you stop, it becomes your limit. If you go back, it becomes a limit. 

Despair becomes your limit. If you give up, you become your limit. Peter made the mistake of denying Jesus three times. This almost became a major limitation in Peter's life. However, the resurrected Lord visited Peter and asked, “Do you love me?” And By asking the question three times, Peter broke the limitations of faith. In the Lord, mistakes and failures do not become limitations, but become another beginning to move forward. The enemy, the devil, wants us to sit there, faced with the limits of frustration and despair, but the Lord of resurrection moves us and keeps us going. God tested Abraham by asking him to sacrifice his son Isaac. If a test of this magnitude comes to most people, this will become their limit and they will wander in such great pain and anguish that they will no longer be able to live a life of faith. However, because Abraham had faith in resurrection, he was able to overcome this limitation and become the father of faith. Hebrews 11:19 says, “Abraham considered that God is able to raise people even from the dead, from which he also received Isaac back from death. ” If you look at 1 Corinthians Chapter 15, you will find detailed information about resurrection. That’s why it’s called ‘Resurrection Chapter.’ Apostle Paul explains the resurrection and at the end in 1 Corinthians 15:58, he says: “Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. 

Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” We too must overcome whatever limitations life may present to us and live this life of resurrection. Conclusion When you go to a cemetery, there is a tombstone erected and an epitaph written on it that sums up the life of the deceased in one word. A person who has lived a beautiful life will leave a beautiful epitaph, and a person who has lived a life stained with regret will leave an epitaph full of regret. For example, the tombstone of Abraham Lincoln, who brought American democracy to fruition through the emancipation of slaves, reads, ‘The government of the people, by the people, for the people will last forever.’ Educator Pestalozzi's epitaph reads, “He did everything for others and nothing for himself.” Inventor Thomas Edison has an epitaph that gives hope and courage to future generations, saying, “Imagination, great hope, and a firm will will lead us to success.” 

 American black activist Martin Luther King Jr. said, “Freedom at last, freedom at last, thank you, Almighty Lord. You can see the tombstone of the pastor, a black human rights activist, saying, “I am finally free.” Some comedians say, “I came here to laugh, but I leave crying.” This is a comedian's epitaph, so it's a bit funny, but I think it's still a great insight into life. What message will be engraved on your tombstone in the distant future? Among the people who lived and died in this world, there is one person who does not have a tombstone. He is Jesus. Jesus is resurrected and He has no tomb, so there is no tombstone or epitaph. 

However, if one were to sum up the life of Jesus in one word, it would be that he ‘carried the sins of mankind and died on the cross, but was resurrected on the third day.’ I hope that we, who must become like the resurrected Lord, will nail the vanity and despair of life to our own crosses and live a life of resurrection full of vitality and hope. - END -

Kupita Ubatili na Kukata Tamaa, Kuelekea Ufufuo

Somo la Biblia: Luka 24:13–17, 25–27
“13. Siku iyo hiyo wawili miongoni mwao walikuwa wakienda kijiji kimoja kiitwacho Emau, kilichokuwa karibu kilomita kumi na moja kutoka Yerusalemu. 14. Wakawa wakizungumza wao kwa wao habari za mambo hayo yote yaliyotukia. 15. Ikawa walipokuwa wakizungumza na kuulizana, Yesu mwenyewe alikaribia, akaandamana nao; 16. lakini macho yao yalizuiliwa wasimtambue. 17. Akawauliza, ‘Ni maneno gani mnayozungumza ninyi kwa ninyi mnapotembea?’ Wakasimama wamekunja nyuso zao. 25. Akawaambia, ‘Enyi msiofahamu, wenye mioyo mizito ya kuamini yote waliyosema manabii! 26. Je, haikumpasa Kristo kupata mateso hayo na kuingia katika utukufu wake?’ 27. Akaanza kutoka Musa na manabii wote, akawaeleza katika Maandiko yote mambo yaliyomhusu yeye.”

Kuna dini nyingi duniani.

Ingawa takwimu sahihi hazipatikani, inasemekana kwamba tukijumuisha dini za jadi katika maeneo ya mbali ya Afrika, kuna zaidi ya mia moja. Tukihesabu tu dini zenye wafuasi zaidi ya 500,000, kuna takriban 20. Kati ya dini hizi nyingi, ni ipi iliyo dini ya kweli?

Siddhartha, mwanzilishi wa Ubuddha, amezikwa India; Muhammad wa Uislamu ana kaburi Saudi Arabia; na kaburi la Confucius, mwanzilishi wa Confucianism, liko China. Walipokufa, waliingia makaburini na hawakuweza kushinda nguvu za mauti. Miili yao ilioza na kuwa mavumbi, wakarudi kwenye ubatili na kukata tamaa. Lakini Yesu hana kaburi. Mwanzoni alizikwa kaburini, lakini siku tatu baada ya kufa alishinda nguvu za mauti na kufufuka, kwa hiyo kaburi lake sasa liko tupu.

Ikiwa dini ya kweli ni ile inayoweza kuwapa wanadamu uzima, kaburi tupu la Yesu ni ushahidi kwamba Ukristo ndio dini pekee ya kweli. Mwanafalsafa Socrates alipokuwa akifa baada ya kunywa sumu, wanafunzi wake waliomboleza kifo cha mwalimu wao na kumuuliza: “Ingekuwa vizuri kama watu wangeweza kufa na kuishi tena. Je, watu hawawezi kufufuka?” Akajibu: “Natamani iwe hivyo, lakini hakuna anayeweza kuishi tena.” Yeye pia amekufa na kuzikwa kaburini. Lakini Yesu anasema wazi katika Yohana 11:25: “Mimi ndimi huo ufufuo, na uzima. Yeye aniaminiye mimi, ajapokufa, atakuwa anaishi.”

Katika andiko la leo, wanafunzi wawili ambao hawakuamini kwamba Yesu alikuwa amefufuka waliondoka Yerusalemu wakiwa katika ubatili na kukata tamaa, wakaelekea kijiji cha Emau. Lakini walikutana njiani na Yesu aliyefufuka, kisha wakarudi Yerusalemu wakiwa na tumaini na nguvu mpya. Katika dunia iliyojaa ubatili na kukata tamaa, tunapaswa kushinda giza na nguvu za mauti, na kuishi maisha yenye uhai, tumaini na furaha kupitia hali ya kiroho ya ufufuo. Tujifunze jinsi Yesu aliyefufuka alivyowawezesha wanafunzi hao kushinda ubatili na kukata tamaa na kuishi maisha ya ufufuo na tumaini. Yesu aliyefufuka alivunja mawazo yao ya awali yaliyowafanya wasiamini ufufuo.

Katika Luka 24, Jumapili asubuhi Yesu alipofufuka, Mariamu Magdalene na wanawake wengine walikwenda kaburini wakiwa na manukato ya kuupaka mwili wa Yesu. Walikutana na malaika aliyewaambia Yesu amefufuka. Malaika akawaambia: “Kumbukeni aliyowaambia alipokuwa Galilaya, akisema, Mwana wa Adamu hana budi kutiwa mikononi mwa watu wenye dhambi, na kusulubishwa, na siku ya tatu kufufuka.” Wakasema: “Ndiyo, tunakumbuka aliyosema Yesu,” kisha wakakimbia kuwaambia mitume habari za ufufuo wake. Wakati habari za ufufuo zilipokuwa zikienea, wanafunzi wawili waliomfuata Bwana kwa bidii, ingawa hawakuwa mitume, hawakuamini kwamba Yesu amefufuka. Wakiwa wamezama katika ubatili na kukata tamaa, waliondoka Yerusalemu kuelekea Emau.

Njia ya maisha katika dunia hii inafanana na njia ya kuelekea Emau; huzuni isiyoisha na kukata tamaa kwa ubatili huwa njia yetu ya maisha. Yesu aliyefufuka alitokea na kutembea nao, lakini hawakumtambua. Kwa nini? Mstari wa 16 unasema: “Lakini macho yao yalizuiliwa wasimtambue.” Neno la Kigiriki hapa ni “krateyo,” lenye maana ya kushikwa sana na jambo fulani. Ni jambo gani lililowashika kiasi cha kutokuamini ufufuo wa Yesu? Walinaswa na mawazo waliyokuwa wamezoea na dhana zisizobadilika. Walikuwa wameshikilia dhana kwamba mtu akifa, basi kila kitu kinaishia hapo.

Mtu akishikilia mawazo yasiyobadilika, huwa na huzuni, kuvunjika moyo na kuishi maisha ya upweke, kama inavyoonekana katika mstari wa 17. Kila mmoja wetu ana ubaguzi na dhana zake. Usipoweza kuona mambo mapya kwa sababu ya mawazo hayo, na hivyo usikue katika imani wala maisha, unakuwa mtu mpumbavu sana. Tukio la ufufuo wa Bwana ndilo huvunja mawazo hayo. Yesu akawaambia wanafunzi waliodhani mtu akifa basi mwisho wake umefika: “Enyi msiofahamu, wenye mioyo mizito ya kuamini yote waliyosema manabii!” Je, kuna mtu ambaye bado haamini ufufuo?

Watu wengine hawaamini ufufuo wala matukio yaliyoandikwa katika Biblia. Wengine husema: “Tunawezaje kuamini hayo ilhali tunaenda mwezini kwa roketi?” Yesu aliwaita watu wenye ubaguzi na dhana ngumu kama hizo wapumbavu. Aliwakemea kwa mioyo yao kuwa mizito na kuchelewa kuamini. Kuna methali ya Kikorea kuhusu “chura kisimani.” Chura anayeishi kisimani hudhani anga ni pana sawa na mdomo wa kisima, kwa sababu akitazama juu kutoka kisimani huona kipande hicho tu cha anga.

Vyura wa kisimani hufikiri: “Anga ni dogo na la mviringo.” Methali hii hufundisha kwamba watu waliofungiwa katika ulimwengu wao wenyewe hawawezi kuelewa mambo mapana na kweli ipasavyo. Watu wanaofungwa na haki yao wenyewe na mfumo wao wa mawazo hudhani wao ndio kipimo, wao pekee ndio sahihi na hukumu yao pekee ndiyo sahihi. Lakini tunaweza kukosea. Mungu, Bwana na Roho Mtakatifu pekee ndiye aliye sahihi. Dunia hii haijumuishi wanadamu pekee.

Kuna mimea na wanyama pia. Viumbe vya vipimo mbalimbali vinapoishi pamoja katika nafasi moja, kuelewa vipimo hivyo hutusaidia kuyaona maisha kwa upana. Wiki iliyopita, tulipojifunza mada ya “Nafasi na Vipimo” katika darasa la MIS Academy, nilitoa mfano kutoka katika kitabu nilichosoma zamani kiitwacho “Kipimo cha Nne.” Nataka kusimulia hadithi hiyo kwa sababu husaidia kuelewa vipimo. Kiwavi na lava wa kiwavi walikuwa wakitembea kwenye njia, mtoto alipotoka kutembea na kuwaona wakitambaa ardhini. Kwa udadisi, mtoto akamnyanyua lava mmoja. Alipomwangalia na kuona anachukiza, akamweka chini tena. Lava hutambua kipimo cha pili, kwa sababu hatambui nafasi na hutambaa juu ya uso tambarare tu.

Mtoto wa binadamu huishi katika kipimo cha tatu. Mtoto anapomnyanyua kiwavi na kumweka chini, kwake hakuna jambo la ajabu. Lakini katika ulimwengu wa kipimo cha pili wa kiwavi, jambo la ajabu sana hutokea. Kiwavi anashangaa na kumuuliza mwenzake aliyerudi: “Ulikuwa wapi? Umerudije kuwa hai ghafla baada ya kutoweka mara moja?” Lava anajibu: “Sijui pia. Nilipoteza fahamu ghafla, kisha nilipofumbua macho nikajikuta hapa tena.”

Kiwavi akasema: “Lo, jambo hili limetokeaje? Ni la ajabu na lisiloaminika kabisa.” Inasemekana viwavi wengine waliposikia kwamba mmoja wao amerudi kutoka kwa wafu, walisema: “Tumfanyie sherehe!” Nao wakasherehekea. Kwa mtoto wa kipimo cha tatu, hili si jambo kubwa. Lakini kwa viwavi wa kipimo cha pili, lilikuwa tukio la kimiujiza, la kushangaza na lisiloeleweka. Kwa dhana ya nafasi na vipimo, wanadamu wanaishi katika kipimo kimoja, nafasi ya mbingu ya kwanza, na Yesu ni wa kipimo cha nne, nafasi ya mbingu ya nne. Biblia inaandika matukio ya vipimo vya kwanza hadi vya nne. Kwa hiyo watu wanapoanza kuhudhuria kanisa na kusikia mahubiri, mara nyingi hawaamini kwa sababu wanayasikia kwa mtazamo wa mwili wa kipimo cha kwanza: “Mtu akifa, basi imekwisha. Anawezaje kurudi kwenye uzima?”

Hayo ni mawazo ya kipimo cha kwanza, na hayawezekani katika ulimwengu wa kimwili wa kipimo hicho. Lakini Yesu ni wa kipimo cha nne cha roho. Tukifikiri kwa mtazamo wa vipimo vinne, ufufuo wa Yesu unawezekana. Katika Yohana 11, Yesu anamfufua Lazaro aliyekuwa amekufa kwa siku tatu. Hili haliwezekani katika kipimo cha kwanza, lakini linawezekana kaburi la Lazaro linapofunikwa na nafasi ya kipimo cha nne na Yesu wa kipimo hicho anapotenda kwa nguvu zake. Kugawanyika kwa Bahari ya Shamu hakuwezekani katika kipimo cha kwanza, lakini kunawezekana katika kipimo cha tatu, kipimo cha roho. Kanuni ya vipimo ni kwamba kipimo cha juu hutawala kilicho chini, na tabia za kipimo cha juu huonekana mahali ambapo vipimo vya juu na chini vinakutana. Natumaini utashinda ubaguzi na dhana finyu na kupita ubatili na kukata tamaa hadi ufikie imani ya ufufuo.

Bwana aliyefufuka aliwapanulia wanafunzi hao upeo ili waone zaidi ya ubatili na kukata tamaa, hata waone ufufuo. Yesu aliwatembelea walipokuwa wakielekea Emau wakiwa wamekata tamaa, akawaandamana nao na kula pamoja nao kwa ukaribu, kama mstari wa 27 unavyoeleza. Matokeo yake, katika mstari wa 31 macho yao ya kiroho yakafumbuka, nao wakamtambua Bwana aliyefufuka. Katika mstari wa 32 wakaambiana: “Je! mioyo yetu haikuwaka ndani yetu alipokuwa akisema nasi njiani, na kutufunulia Maandiko?” Neno “kuwaka” kwa Kigiriki ni “kaio,” linalomaanisha kuwasha moto, mwali unaowaka au nuru inayoangazia giza.

Kwa hiyo, kusema kwamba mioyo ya wanafunzi hao iliwaka kunaweza kueleweka kuwa upeo wao uliongezeka. Waliposikia maneno ya Bwana, nuru ikawashwa mioyoni mwao; giza likaondoka, nuru yao ya kiroho ikang’aa, upeo wao ukapanuka, nao wakamtambua Yesu. Watu wasioamini na wale wanaoamini lakini imani yao ni dhaifu wanafanana kwa kuwa na mtazamo finyu. Huona tu mambo yaliyo mbele ya macho yao, yaani ulimwengu wa kimwili. Ukiamini Yesu kweli, mtazamo wako utapanuka na utaweza kuona maisha baada ya kifo. Watu wenye mtazamo finyu hudhani hawawezi kuishi kwa kujinyima. Kama kifo ndio mwisho, kwa nini wajitoe mhanga? Hawawezi kujitoa kwa ajili ya wengine.

Mtazamo wako unapopanuka, unaona maisha ya duniani kama nafasi ya kukua kiroho; unajifunza kujitoa, kutoa sadaka na kujinyima. Kwa nini? Kwa sababu unaangalia zaidi ya dunia hii na kuona kwamba baada ya kifo utasimama mbele za Mungu. Kuna jambo linaloitwa “athari ya mtazamo wa juu.” Wanaanga wanapoiangalia dunia kutoka mbali angani, maadili yao na mtazamo wao wa maisha hubadilika sana. Wengi wanaweza kujivunia kwamba wameenda angani, lakini badala yake huwa wanyenyekevu zaidi. Wanatambua jinsi dunia ilivyo ndogo ikilinganishwa na ulimwengu mpana na jinsi wanadamu waliomo walivyo wadogo.

Dunia inapoonekana kutoka angani ni nukta ndogo tu; ni upumbavu ulioje kugombana na kupigana! Badala ya kutazama hali iliyo mbele yako tu na kuchukiana, ukiitazama kutoka juu na mbali unaweza kubadili mawazo hasi na kushinda shida na misiba. Usiangalie kilicho mbele yako pekee; tazama mbele zaidi na uone picha nzima. Charlie Chaplin alisema: “Kadiri unavyoitazama maisha kwa mbali, ndivyo yanavyozidi kuonekana kama vichekesho.” Mtume Paulo pia alipata mtazamo huu. Katika 2 Wakorintho 12:2, Paulo anaeleza uzoefu wa ajabu wa kupandishwa hadi Paradiso, mbingu ya tatu. Baada ya kuona Paradiso nzuri isiyoelezeka, alisema kumjua Yesu pekee ndilo maarifa yaliyo bora zaidi, na akakiri kwamba kila kitu duniani isipokuwa Yesu kilikuwa kama “mavi.” Kama tungeujua ulimwengu wa ufufuo, tusingeishi kwa mtazamo finyu; tungeishi kwa ujasiri. Mwaka 1967, mwanariadha wa miaka 17 aitwaye Erickson alipata ajali alipokuwa akipiga mbizi baharini.

Alipooza kuanzia shingoni kwenda chini, akajawa na huzuni, kukata tamaa, uchungu, hasira na hata hamu ya kujiua. Siku moja akaona taswira ya Yesu akining’inia msalabani. Yesu alikuwa hana msaada na hakuweza kusogea, kama yeye. Lakini aliposikia kwamba Yesu alifufuka baada ya siku tatu, mtazamo wake wa maisha ukapanuka. Alijifunza kwamba utukufu wa ufufuo hupatikana kupitia maumivu ya msalaba. Akaanza kuona si hali yake ya sasa pekee bali pia tumaini la wakati ujao. Akakiri: “Sasa nina tumaini la wakati ujao. Biblia inasema kwamba miili yetu itatukuzwa mbinguni.”

“Ingawa sasa vidole vyangu vimekunjana, misuli yangu ni dhaifu, magoti yangu yamepinda, na sihisi chochote kuanzia mabegani kwenda chini, siku moja nitakuwa na mwili mpya uliovikwa haki, mwepesi, unaong’aa, wenye nguvu na wa ajabu. Hakuna dini wala falsafa nyingine inayoahidi mwili na akili mpya. Ni katika Injili ya ufufuo wa Kristo pekee ambapo watu waliojeruhiwa wanaweza kupata tumaini hili la ajabu.” Kwa Wakristo, kifo ni kama mlango wa kuingia mbinguni. Mlango huo unapofunguliwa, eneo jingine huonekana; vivyo hivyo mlango wa kifo unapofunguliwa, mbingu huonekana. Tunaweza kutazama mandhari ya mbinguni kupitia dirisha la ufufuo. Yesu atakaporudi, waliokufa katika Bwana watabadilishwa na kuwa na mwili wa kiroho kama mwili wa Yesu aliyefufuka. Hawataugua, kufa wala kuoza tena, bali wataishi milele.

Pia, kusema kwamba mioyo ya wanafunzi hao iliwaka kunamaanisha kwamba mioyo yao baridi iliwaka kwa shauku. Walipokuwa wakielekea Emau wamevunjika moyo kwa ubatili na kukata tamaa, huenda walihisi kila hatua ni nzito. Lakini baada ya kukutana na Bwana aliyefufuka, upeo wao ukapanuka, wakapata nguvu mpya na mioyo yao ikapata joto. Furaha na shangwe yao vilirudi. Natumaini furaha yako itarejea katika ibada. Kwa nini watu hunywa pombe, hutumia dawa za kulevya na kuvuta sigara? Kwa sababu hawana furaha wala shangwe maishani. Wengine hukasirika hata ufanye nini. Vijana walio katika balehe huwa hivyo, sivyo? Nadhani imani nayo inaweza kuwa na balehe.

Watu wenye huzuni kila wakati, wanaosema “nimekasirika,” wakaidi na waasi wanapaswa kutoka haraka katika balehe yao ya kidini. Tafadhali. Wengine huabudu kwa akili pekee. Nataka msimwabudu Mungu kwa akili tu; shusheni Neno hadi mioyoni mwenu. Neno likibaki kichwani pekee, hamtaweza kuishi maisha ya imani yenye uhai. Lileteni moyoni. Ingawa umbali kutoka kichwani hadi moyoni ni sentimita 30 tu, inasemekana ndio umbali mrefu zaidi duniani. Unapokutana na Bwana aliyefufuka, na upeo wako upanuke na moyo wako upate joto, ili maisha yako yaliyobaki yawe kwa ajili ya Bwana; uwe mwaminifu kwa shauku na uzae matunda. Bwana aliyefufuka aliwawezesha wanafunzi hao kushinda mipaka yao na kuishi maisha ya ufufuo.

Katika andiko la leo, kabla hajakutana na mitume, Yesu aliyefufuka aliwatokea wanafunzi wawili huko Emau, akakutana nao, akala nao na kuwafundisha Biblia hadi wakaamini ufufuo. Huu ni neema, upendo na kujali kwa kiwango gani! Hata hivyo, wanafunzi hao hawakuamini upesi kwamba Yesu amefufuka. Kwa nini? Hiyo ilikuwa mipaka ya imani yao. Katika maisha tunaweza kukutana na mipaka mbalimbali, kuvunjika moyo na kukata tamaa; lakini mpaka mkubwa zaidi wa wanadamu ni kifo. Ni nani awezaye kushinda mpaka huo? Kulingana na 1 Wakorintho 15:55, Yesu pekee ndiye aliyeshinda kifo, mpaka mkubwa zaidi wa wanadamu, kwa kuvunja nguvu za mauti za adui ibilisi na kufufuka kaburini. Kwa hiyo Wakristo wa kweli wanaoamini ufufuo wa Bwana wanaweza kuishi maisha ya ufufuo yanayopita mipaka. Kuna mwimbaji maarufu wa opera kutoka Italia aitwaye Bocelli. Alikuwa na uoni dhaifu tangu utotoni, na akiwa na miaka 12 alipigwa jicho na mpira alipokuwa akicheza soka, akapoteza kabisa uwezo wa kuona. Alikuwa maskini na akapoteza nafasi ya kusoma. Alikuwa mwimbaji mzuri, lakini kwa sababu alikuwa kipofu hakuna aliyemwalika jukwaani, jambo lililomvunja moyo. Huo ndio ulikuwa mpaka wake. Je, si wazi kwamba maisha yana mipaka?

Hata hivyo, alipewa ujasiri aliposikia ujumbe wa ufufuo wa wafu kanisani siku ya Pasaka. Alishinda mipaka ya upofu wake, akaenda shule ya sheria na kusomea kuwa wakili. Baada ya kupata muda akiwa wakili, hakuweza kuachana na ndoto yake ya muziki wa sauti; akajitahidi kushinda mipaka ya upofu wake na kuimba kwa sauti ya kina na thabiti. Bocelli anapokutana na watu na kuwasalimu, je, kwa kawaida huinua vidole viwili kwa umbo la V? Inasemekana yeye huinua vidole vitatu. Watu wakimuuliza kwa nini, husema kwamba shida yoyote anapokutana nayo hutatuliwa ndani ya siku tatu, na kwa kuwa Yesu alifufuka kaburini baada ya siku tatu, nguvu zote za giza zitatoweka ndani ya siku tatu. Nguvu ya ufufuo iliondoa mipaka ya maisha yake ya giza ya upofu na umaskini.

Natumaini nawe utakuwa na imani inayoshinda mipaka yako, imani ya ufufuo itakayotatua wasiwasi na mashaka yako ndani ya saa tatu, si siku tatu. Yesu aliyefufuka aliwawezesha wanafunzi hao kushinda ubatili na kukata tamaa, wakarudi Yerusalemu na kuishi maisha mazuri wakishuhudia ufufuo wa Bwana. Maisha yanafanana na kuendesha gari lenye mafuta machache kuelekea unakoenda. Safari ikiwa ndefu na mafuta yakiisha, unaweza kujaza kituo cha mafuta njiani. Lakini maishani hakuna kituo cha kujazia mafuta. Huwezi kuomba urudishiwe miaka mitatu au mitano kama mafuta ya gari ili kufidia muda uliopoteza ulipokutana na mpaka wa maisha. Maisha hayana muda wa kutosha wa kuishi hivyo, kuyumba kushoto na kulia, kupoteza wakati kwenye karamu na kutangatanga huku na kule.

Katika Kikorea kuna neno “kkeut,” ambalo humaanisha mwisho. Nalitaja kwa sababu lina maana kubwa na linahusiana na ufufuo. Neno hilo halimaanishi mwisho tu; mwisho unaweza kuwa mwanzo mpya. Siku inapomalizika, siku mpya huanza; mwaka unapofika mwisho, mwaka mpya huanza. Vivyo hivyo, mwisho wa maisha yetu una kifo, lakini kifo si mwisho; ni mwanzo wa maisha mapya ya ufufuo. Kumbuka kwamba mwisho si mwisho wa yote, bali mwanzo mpya. Kuna neno kama hilo kwa Kiingereza, “last.” Linaweza kumaanisha cha mwisho, lakini pia humaanisha kudumu. Kitu kinapoonekana kuwa cha mwisho, jambo jipya huendelea. Ukisimama, hapo ndipo unapoweka mpaka wako; ukirudi nyuma, huo unakuwa mpaka wako.

Kukata tamaa kunakuwa mpaka wako. Ukiacha, unajiwekea mpaka. Petro alikosea kwa kumkana Yesu mara tatu, na hilo karibu liwe mpaka mkubwa maishani mwake. Lakini Bwana aliyefufuka alimtembelea Petro na kumuuliza: “Je, wanipenda?” Kwa kumuuliza mara tatu, alimsaidia Petro kuvuka mpaka wa imani yake. Katika Bwana, makosa na kushindwa havitufungi; huwa mwanzo mwingine wa kusonga mbele. Adui ibilisi anataka tuketi pale tulipokumbana na mipaka ya kuvunjika moyo na kukata tamaa, lakini Bwana wa ufufuo hutusogeza na kutuongoza kuendelea. Mungu alimjaribu Abrahamu kwa kumwomba amtoe mwanawe Isaka dhabihu. Kwa wengi, jaribu kubwa namna hiyo lingekuwa mpaka wao; wangetangatanga katika maumivu makubwa na kushindwa kuishi maisha ya imani. Lakini kwa sababu Abrahamu alikuwa na imani ya ufufuo, alishinda mpaka huo na kuwa baba wa imani. Waebrania 11:19 inasema: “Akihesabu ya kuwa Mungu aweza kumfufua hata kutoka kuzimu; akampata tena toka huko katika mfano.” Ukisoma 1 Wakorintho 15, utapata mafundisho ya kina kuhusu ufufuo; ndiyo maana sura hiyo huitwa “Sura ya Ufufuo.” Paulo anaeleza ufufuo na kuhitimisha katika 1 Wakorintho 15:58: “Basi, ndugu zangu wapendwa, mwimarike, msitikisike.”

“Mkizidi sana kutenda kazi ya Bwana sikuzote, kwa kuwa mwajua ya kwamba taabu yenu siyo bure katika Bwana.” Sisi nasi tushinde mipaka yoyote tunayokutana nayo maishani na kuishi maisha haya ya ufufuo. **Hitimisho:** Unapotembelea makaburi, unaona jiwe la kaburi lenye maneno machache yanayofupisha maisha ya marehemu. Aliyeishi maisha mazuri huacha ujumbe mzuri; aliyeishi akijutia huacha maneno yaliyojaa majuto. Kwa mfano, jiwe la kaburi la Abraham Lincoln, aliyeendeleza demokrasia ya Marekani kwa kukomesha utumwa, linasema: “Serikali ya watu, kwa watu na kwa ajili ya watu itadumu milele.” Mwalimu Pestalozzi aliandikiwa: “Alifanya kila kitu kwa ajili ya wengine na hakuna kitu kwa ajili yake mwenyewe.” Mvumbuzi Thomas Edison aliacha ujumbe unaowapa vizazi vijavyo tumaini na ujasiri: “Mawazo, tumaini kuu na nia thabiti vitatuongoza kwenye mafanikio.”

Mwanaharakati mweusi wa Marekani Martin Luther King Jr. alisema: “Hatimaye uhuru, hatimaye uhuru! Asante, Bwana Mwenyezi.” Kwenye jiwe la kaburi la mchungaji huyo na mwanaharakati wa haki za binadamu kumeandikwa: “Hatimaye niko huru.” Baadhi ya wachekeshaji husema: “Nilikuja hapa kucheka, lakini ninaondoka nikilia.” Hayo ni maneno ya mchekeshaji, yanafurahisha kidogo lakini yana ufahamu mkubwa kuhusu maisha. Ujumbe gani utaandikwa kwenye jiwe lako la kaburi siku za usoni? Kati ya watu wote walioishi na kufa duniani, kuna mmoja asiye na jiwe la kaburi: Yesu. Yesu alifufuka na hana kaburi, kwa hiyo hana jiwe wala maneno ya kaburini.

Hata hivyo, tukifupisha maisha ya Yesu kwa neno moja, tunaweza kusema: “Aliyachukua dhambi za wanadamu, akafa msalabani, lakini akafufuka siku ya tatu.” Tunapaswa kufanana na Bwana aliyefufuka. Kwa hiyo, tusulubishe ubatili na kukata tamaa kwa maisha yetu kwenye misalaba yetu, na tuishi maisha ya ufufuo yaliyojaa uhai na tumaini. - MWISHO -