A friend of mine sent me an email this week with a story that I want to share:

John 20:6-7

Then Simon Peter, who was behind him, arrived and went into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, as well as the burial cloth that had been around Jesus' head. The cloth was folded up by itself, separate from the linen.

During the last 40 days of lent, I have focused quite heavily on what Jesus did for us on the cross. But, I think that Easter is more than an acknowledgment and celebration of this free gift. We need to look at our lives and adjust the way that we live - because the grace and salvation we freely receive changes the whole context of life for us.

This verse about Jesus' resurrection makes some important statements about the way forward. Firstly, Jesus arose from the dead. His death saves us from our sin and allows us to relate with God in a new way. His resurrection was victory over the powers and principalities in an intense battle that had been going on since Lucifer turned away from the Lord. And finally the mention of the burial cloth is of major importance if we consider its interpretation in Jewish tradition. Servants waiting on their master's tables would clear the table if the master left a crumpled napkin on the table. However, if the master left his napkin folded, it meant that he was returning and did not want the table cleared yet. Thus, Jesus was sending a clear message to the Jewish people and to us that He was going to return.

As we reflect on what was done for us on the cross, I hope we will consider how this changes the way we should BE, and I hope we will consider what is still to be done.