“But the story sounded like nonsense to the men, so they didn’t believe it.” (Luke 24:11)

On April 1, 1957, the BBC reported that Swiss farmers were experiencing a record spaghetti crop and showed footage of people harvesting noodles from trees; numerous viewers were fooled. If you were around on the first day of April in the 1990’s, you may have attempted to buy a ‘Left-Handed Whopper’ at Burger King, the fake sandwich of the day promoted by the food chain. If not, you may have been caught up in the falsehood that Taco Bell was going to purchase Philadelphia’s Liberty Bell and retitle it using their restaurant’s name.  Although the exact origin remains a mystery, it is believed that the practice of playing practical jokes on April 1 has existed in many cultures for several centuries. English pranksters began popularizing the annual tradition of April Fools’ Day as early as 1700. In some places, it is known as All-Fools’ Day which makes sense, since the goal is to get as many people to buy into the fake story as possible and as a result be fooled. And when you fall for it, of course – the joke is on you.

It’s one thing to play harmless practical jokes on others during an expectant day of frivolousness.  But when you’re vulnerable and misunderstood, being the target of a joke can be hurtful. The story has been told of a terminally-ill boy by the name of Jeremy who at the age of 12 was still in second grade, seemingly unable to learn and frustrating to his teacher. Jeremy sometimes drooled and made unusual noises making it easy for his fellow students to poke fun at him.  Nearing Easter, the teacher gave each of the students an empty plastic egg with the assignment to place something in it that represented new life and bring it back the next day. Her intention was to contact Jeremy’s parents that evening to explain the project so that he would be successful, but several interruptions prevented her from doing so. The next day, the teacher began to open each egg of her nineteen students. The first one contained a flower, and the teacher affirmed that it indeed represented new life. The second had a butterfly in it, and everyone agreed it accomplished the goal. A third egg was a stretch, but the teacher found a way to explain how a moss-covered rock demonstrated new life as well. But when she opened the fourth egg, it was empty. So she laid it down without comment. Jeremy spoke up and asked why she didn’t say anything about this egg which happened to be his. Flustered, she said, “Jeremy your egg is empty.” Looking up at the teacher, He simply replied, “Yes but Jesus tomb was empty too.” Three months later, when Jeremy died, his theology was represented by nineteen plastic eggs on his casket . . . all of which were empty.

After Jesus crucifixion, the religious leaders of the day went to Pilate, concerned that someone might take His body. Not wanting any kind of foolishness, they told him, “Sir, we remember what that deceiver once said while he was still alive: ‘After three days I will rise from the dead.’ We request that you seal the tomb until the third day. This will prevent his disciples from coming and stealing his body and then telling everyone he was raised from the dead! If that happens, we’ll be worse off than we were at first.” Pilate replied, “Take guards and secure it the best you can.” So, they sealed the tomb and posted guards to protect it. (Matthew 27:63-66). The Jewish leaders remembered well that when they had demanded miraculous signs to prove His authority, He had responded in this manner: “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.’ They replied, ‘It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?’ But the temple he had spoken of was his body” (John 2:19-21).

Early on the first day of the week, several women who loved Jesus visited His tomb to find it empty. In their fright, they were reminded of His words. “They rushed back to tell the others, but no one believed them” (Mark 16:13). Generally, most of them did not believe until they saw and met the resurrected Christ. Suddenly appearing to them behind locked doors in the midst of their fear (John 20:19-20), there had to be someone in the group who dared to think, “is this a joke?”  Instead, it was the fulfillment of a promise. For it is His resurrection which completed the story that He was who He had proclaimed to be – the very Son of God. And that, my friends, is very good news for each one of us.  No joke!

REFLECTION: How does the concept of a “risen Christ” satisfy some and raise doubt in others?  How is everything changed by the empty tomb? Why is the Resurrection is the greatest of Christ’s miracles?

A NEW LOOKUP  DEVOTION IS UPLOADED EACH WEEK. THE NEXT WEEKLY POSTING WILL BE ON SAT., APRIL 8, 2017.  COMMENTS ARE WELCOMED.