Making contact with today's culture

Graham Cray on culturally relevant church music for future reference.

'Why do you look for the living among the dead?' (Luke 24.25b)

Here we have an atmospheric scene: the pale poor-quality daylight of an early morning; the silhouettes of three women making their way to a lonely place; the dull scent of freshly prepared spices in the air; the dramatic shock of an open grave.  Something deeply disturbing has taken place.  Into this dimly-lit scene burns two brilliant figures - the contrast couldn't be more stark - the women bow, their faces touch the ground.  But one can imagine that it is not the silence of the empty tomb or this strange meeting with the men in shining clothes that is most disorientating, rather it is the dialogue that follows.  For me, it is the question, 'Why do you look for the living among the dead?  He is not here, he has risen!...' which resounds most loudly

I cannot escape these words.  The women were not looking for the living among the dead, they were looking for the dead among the dead.  Their quest was quite misguided. What am I looking for these days?  And what do I expect find when I get there?  In all my searching for the living God (Psalm 42.2) do I still return to the place of death and decay?  Do I cling onto my limited  human understanding, the default position of weakness and death and grieving, because - let's face it - this comes most naturally.  Or, can I look beyond?  

If the tomb is not the place to find the Lord Jesus, then where is?  Where is the place of 'living'?  The answer to this question, in Luke, is among the community of believers (vv. 30 & 36), in the breaking of bread (v. 30), in the opening of the Scripture (vv. 27, 32, 45 & 46), in the mission of the church (v. 47 &48), and the promise of the Holy Spirit (v. 49).

I will continue praying these words,  'Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here, he has risen!...'  until they sink into my spirit, until I realize my loss and confusion, until I am strong enough to walk out of the valley of the shadow of death.  

'Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here, he has risen!...'

'Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here, he has risen!...'

'Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here, he has risen!...'