Upside-Down Christmas: Luke 24

Luke 24

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Welcome to the last episode of our podcast series called Upside-Down Christmas. We’ve been working our way through the Gospel of Luke and asking how Jesus turns things on their heads. That is, how he takes conventional wisdom and conventional ways of doing things and turns them, well, upside down. And we’ve finally reached the end of our journey with the resurrection of Jesus in Luke 24.

And perhaps of all the things we’ve talked about the resurrection of Jesus is the thing that captures the upside down nature of the kingdom of God like nothing else. Because death is the end, isn’t it? Death is the thing that stops progress. Death is the thing that destroys relationships. Death interrupts life. And for a while it seemed like the death of Jesus was going to do just that. The coming of the kingdom came to a halt. The disciples who were supposed leaders of this messianic movement are hiding away from the Jewish authorities. The Romans are still in charge. There’s no liberation. And the wicked Jewish leaders who got Jesus killed are still in power.

But then look at how the resurrection changes everything. Suddenly the death of Jesus isn’t the end but a brand new beginning. Suddenly the death of Jesus doesn’t separate but unites in a way never thought possible. Suddenly the death of Jesus doesn’t cancel out the messianic movement but gives it fire and flight. Everything death was supposed to be, Jesus turned upside down.

And that’s why we get to end our time on a great note of hope. Because there are so many things in this world that don’t look to us like progress, so many things that threaten to slow us down, interrupt what we’re doing—even and especially things we’re doing for the Lord. But the resurrection promises us that this is not actually what’s going on. In fact, the resurrection shows that even the worst of all possible outcomes—the death of the Son of God—cannot stop the advancement of the kingdom. And in fact, in God’s providence, those obstacles become the very way that the kingdom advances.

It’s like the Apostle Paul put it in Romans: And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28) Even that great enemy death—it will be bent to the will of God, the purposes of God—which are for his glory and for our good. Thanks be to God.

Let’s pray. Father, thank you that you see to it that all things work together for the good of those who love you, for we love you, Lord. Have mercy on us then, and grant us hope through the work of your Spirit in our hearts by faith, so that we may retain a true and living hope in the face of insurmountable circumstances. In Jesus’ name we pray, with thanksgiving. Amen.

Happy Upside-Down Christmas! May God bless you always.

Family Devotional:

Read Luke 24 together.

What were the women hoping to find at the tomb?

How would you feel seeing angels and an empty tomb?

Why do you think the disciples didn't believe the women at first?

What does it mean to "look for the living among the dead"?

Yesterday, we discussed how Jesus’ death made a way for us to live forever. But that’s not quite it. It’s really a two-parter. Jesus died to pay the price of all sin in all time. He had to die.

But he didn’t stay dead. He rose from the dead! Death did not win! The big word we use for this is, resurrection. Jesus shows us that death is not the end, but the start of more. More hope! More joy! More peace!

How does the news of Jesus's resurrection change how we live today? What do you think?