Signs of Life

Checking the pulse of Jesus.

Anything?

Is His Body still breathing? Are His lungs full of life?

Is His Body in motion? Does it still go to those same dark places where He once brought hope? Does His Body still soothe the broken heart? Does His Body still reach out and touch those who are forgotten and lonely?

Tell me, is the Body of Christ still stretching out arms of love and forgiveness to those who need it most, but deserve it least?

Listen for the heartbeat of Jesus. Do you hear anything? Are His vital signs growing stronger? Or are we losing Him?

Just how strong is the heart of Jesus beating within the bosom of His Body today? Is the Body full of compassion for the orphan and the widow? Is the Body of Christ acquainted with grief? Is His Body still weeping with those who weep and comforting those who mourn? Who does the Body of Christ cradle in loving arms today? The AIDS orphan? The Cancer victim? The Afghan mother who lost her husband? The Iraqi Grandfather who lost his family? The motel children who have no food? The illegal immigrant who goes to bed hungry every night?

Look at His Hands. Are they still open and accepting, or do they clench tightly into hardened fists? Are the hands of Jesus still motioning for wayward disciples to put away their swords? Are His hands still reaching out to heal the wounds of those who have been caught in the crossfires of war and hate? Where are His hands?

Look at His feet. Do they still walk the same alleyways where the drunkards stumble and the prostitutes sell their bodies to support their children? Are His feet still taking Him to mother’s who have lost their only sons? Do His feet ever cross the threshold of poverty? Do His feet carry Him to the addict or the prisoner? Where are His feet?

Examine His Body. Can you tell me how healthy it is? Does His cleansing blood still flow powerfully through veins that intersect and refresh every capillary? Is every part of the Body of Christ nourished and fed by His healing and holy blood, or are there parts of His Body that are suffering and forgotten today? Are there members that are beginning to fall off due to abuse, or neglect?

I hear people saying that this Jesus who died for the sins of the world on a Roman cross is alive again. Is it really true? I know they host concerts to sing about it. They publish books about it. But the best evidence for the Resurrection of Christ from the dead is simply to look at His Body and tell me what you see. Are there any signs of life? Is Jesus still laying motionless in the dark safety of the tomb with the stone rolled firmly in place? Is He licking his wounds in the darkness, or is He full of joy and life? Is He out in the real world with the rest of us?

Is it possible that Jesus is actually still walking this Earth today? Is it really possible that the life of Christ continues to thrive in every corner of this globe? When we look at His Body do we see that same vibrant, active spirit of love and mercy in the flesh? Is the Body of Christ visible? Is the Body of Christ moving along the same paths of restoration and hope as before?

Can someone show me Jesus today? If I can see Him, then maybe I could believe that He is still alive. If I can see His Body. If I can touch His Body. If I can experience the presence of Jesus in such a tangible and authentic way, then I will believe that this Jesus who died is now alive forevermore.

So, before you try to convince me that Jesus is Risen, please just show me His Body and let me examine it. Then I will know if He is really alive.

Has Christ risen from the dead? Is He alive and breathing today?

Tell me what you see.

-kg