Yesterday was Easter.

In the scope of human history, obviously, the resurrection of Jesus Christ is a big deal, but I never really thought much about the forty days after the resurrection. Frankly, I thought it might be a bit of divine hide-and-seek before the ascension. 1

What’s Next?

Last year I read Leonard Sweet and Frank Viola’s book, “Jesus: The Theography“. Their take on those forty days was refreshing and enlightening:

A Theography?

“First,” the authors wrote, “this isn’t a biography. It’s a theography. Even if you argue that a biography of Jesus is possible, which is hotly debated among scholars today, we are telling the story of God’s interactions, intersections, and interventions with humanity through the life of Jesus.”

Following the lead of N.T. Wright, Sweet and Viola declare that “if we don’t interpret the available evidence correctly, ‘we shall simply squash Jesus into the little boxes of our own imaginations rather than seeing him as he was.’”

The authors explain that the Scriptures, and in particular John’s gospel, portrays Jesus as meeting all human need:

“What Matters Most: How We Got the Point but Missed the Person” is a reprint of a 2004 book, entitled “Out of the Question…Into the Mystery.”

That said, this is a powerful book that needed to be re-considered for an audience, myself included, that missed it when it was first released.

“Belief can exist in isolation, but faith requires a relationship.” For without dynamic, engaging deep relationships — relationship with Jesus and then relationship with people — we cannot demonstrate love.