Bringing C. S. Lewis to Life: Confessions of a Screenwriter (by Darren Jacobs)

Sauvie Island & Narnia - A Good match

When I got the news that I would be co-writing a documentary on the life & writings of British author C. S. Lewis with scholar Louis Markos…I had to laugh.  I didn’t see it coming: my passion for screenwriting colliding with my love for the writings of ‘Jack’ Lewis…and here I was getting the call I longed to hear.  During that conversation, the past 3 ½ years of exploring the beautiful and often difficult-to-transverse rocky, craggy & isolated terrain of screenwriting passed through my eyes with all the finesse of a well crafted montage.

 Tonight I had another round of scene- readings with co-author/business partner Aaron Sternberg.   After two years of writing REALMS APART, our Epic Christian Fantasy using Virgil, Middle Earth, Homer, Dante (and even a little Matrix) as both inspiration and creating a sense of place with weight, we are nearing Final Draft and a season of marketing.  During our time together (and watching Aaron meticulously slice into the script as a surgeon – first cut is the deepest) it dawned on me that starting next month I’ll be writing a script that will be filmed.  More than simply putting words into actor’s mouths for scenes of dramatic reenactment, I will have the opportunity to create moments of beauty awakened in dialogue but revealed in Image.  A screenplay is a story told in pictures on a shadowy cave wall and I’m finding it is a craft that requires diligence & discipline. A craft that I’ve fallen in Love with…because there is always more than meets the eye.

 My first script, CHAMPIONS ALWAYS, tells the true story of a gymnastics coach who transformed the lives of the boys in his care, by simply giving them a vision that far outweighed anything Sports had to offer.  Coach Mike McCoy at Willamette High School in the 1970s took kids who couldn’t find their place and gave them a track to follow to help them realize it is beyond the gym doors where life & dreams take place.

 As I got the good news about my new project, I could almost hear Coach McCoy telling us to step up salute and reach hard…and you never know where life will take you. He expected that of us…because he believed in us.

 I was a ring-man and a tumbler; I knew what made a solid routine and how the last pass / final dismount had to hit a high point…because the audience was expecting it.

In the coming days I hope to perform for you again.

 Darren Scott Jacobs

 

Notes of Thanksgiving (by Darren Jacobs)

The news broke the same day a very famous actor in financial straits (Dire straits… Mr. Knopfler would stress) had to sell off a castle or two, part with his comic book collection worth more than our home and other items legitimately needed to define & give shape to his humanity.  Elena Desserich was only six years old when handed a death sentence which read pediatric brain cancer.  She was only six, but she figured out the meaning of life long before most do, including me.

Sometimes the sun itself is captured and revealed in tranquil waters:  Ponds, lakes, even the ocean are small when compared to the Heavens but still apt to display the very thing that glides across its surface; turning towards it as if to find the perfect angle of reflection; now & then our lives do the same.

 The story hijacked my heart because Elena and I share a secret:  for the past twenty years I’ve been collecting books (hey…I don’t play golf so extra money must go for something?) and in that time I’ve put various letters/cards/documents inside my many volumes hoping someday when I kick off to eternity my daughters and their children would find a little-bit-of-me hidden in well-worn-pages. I thought my plan was rather unique, that I would leave a legacy to be found slowly (without fanfare or hype) which would reveal a man filled with thanksgiving…then I read Elena’s story.

 Elena was six and dying…and somehow she figured out the secret to a life lived well and was kind enough to share it with others.  She simply wanted to tell those in her care, those stationed in the galaxy of her world…that she loved and appreciated them.  Beyond mere words, the fact that she ‘hid’ her affection to comfort her parents when she was gone makes me wonder what was going on in that little girl’s mind and did she know how much her words would soon mean in her absence?  Those I love, I long to hear (and I believe “I will hear them again”) when I venture across the Great Divide and down in deep green shires filled with notes hidden here and fully revealed there. When I enter that place I intend to look her up; her story reminded me in a time of confusion what Life is really about.

 And those notes will last throughout Eternity; because our Love for one another is God-given and Thanksgiving reminds us to tear our souls from the daily grind and to embrace those around us as if they are more important than life itself…notes slowly transformed into songs.

 So be thankful as Elena was. And although I’m saddened by her passing and short life here on Earth, her Wisdom shone with the bright light of the Ancients who extolled that Love was real and Love was all any human creature really had to offer another. There’s nothing new under the sun, but love notes hidden by a child for parents in anguish to discover temporary joy…that’s pretty close.

 I’m thankful for so many things including GayLynn’s continued remission, amazing parents I admire, love & respect, four unique beautiful daughters, a new job, new script, and a horizon filled with promise.

 Elena, on Thursday I’ll remember you and give Thanks.

 

How Dogs Tell Time (by Darren Jacobs)

Me and McKenzie Jo

How do you tell people how much your pet means to you?  Many people have asked me (theologically speaking) if I believe dogs have souls.  In all honesty, I have found in my dog a soul so utterly transparent, defined and filled with  love …it is the human creature that I struggle with the soul question.

My dog Mckenzie is old, very old. You can see the years etched out in lines on her weathered face and how she moves slowly and with caution.  Her days are numbered and  soon she will fade to this world…but without even trying she has left lasting memories of our time together since I was blessed enough to snatch her away from the Pound when she was 8 weeks old.  She has watched me age and endure crisis and joy; somehow always finding the best in the day and the best in me. Last December, when the film Marley & Me was released, I was somewhat angered because my time with McKenzie has been longer and more dramatic.  But even without the feature film, our story has been memorable filled with highs & lows, quiet times of peace together and other times filled with the rantings of a lunatic dog owner:

 Why do they wait until it rains before begging to go water the lawn? Just how good does cat feces taste anyway and is it worth digging for? Why do they position their mouths for maximum dog-breath spray only during dinner time? Why do they wait until the moment sleep comes to wake you for ‘one last pee in the yard’? Why is it during the Holidays your dog can release gas best used in combat scenarios?

 So what’s with dogs anyway?  When I look in McKenzie’s failing eyes (her sight is diminishing rapidly) I wish I appreciated the world the way she does.  I watch her stroll into our backyard for a good poo, and as she walks the fence line, picks the perfect spot to spin into defined circles (no doubt some ancient canine ritual that led to crop circles) and launch away…I can sense her appreciation of her small world as being the whole wide world  below her.   

 Humans need so much more than dogs to be happy.  McKenzie will light up simply by hearing my voice; a sound that soon will fade as she is almost deaf.  And this is why I believe dogs have souls: with the loss of both sight & sound, McKenzie can still see & hear, because she was meant for me and somehow together our souls have intertwined.  In retrospect I’m not sure who was the wiser in our days together?  Her days were filled with simple pleasures: holidays wearing her party scarf, watching those who love her grow and move on, sleeping contently just by being in a room filled with soothing human voices, barking at the slightest of sounds and sleeping through monsoons.

 And she did it all without wearing a watch.  Time to dogs is irrelevant; there is something much more pressing and important: the moments we share that slow the second hand to a crawl and fog the face of the watch with the breath of timelessness and unconditional friendship. Just who has the soul here?

 Soon my watch pacing her time will count down to zero and McKenzie will step into paradise. I’ll be there for her as always and move in close hoping she can hear my familiar & reassuring voice one last time.  I’ll promise her a new yard without fences.  Only then her sore hip and cautious gate will be replaced with a full-out sprint across fields meant for dogs.

 I wore a watch in the picture of us together here…there, in that place, my wrist will be bare.

 

What’s in a Name? (by Karen Osborne)

Karen Osborne

 

“You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain”

 

The word name in Hebrew is shem.  It has a dual meaning:  what a person is called and reputation.  I found this a very interesting concept when considering the third commandment above.  We are usually taught that taking the LORD’s name in vain means to make it into an expletive and swear with it.  Certainly, this is part of it, but I contend the less insidious part.  The far worse part is when we tell lies about God and slander his reputation.  There is a popular book out right now called “God is Not Great”.  This is an instance of taking the LORD’s name in vain.  With the title alone, god is slandered and his reputation is tarred. 

 

This can happen much more subtly as well.  Whenever we represent God as being what he is not or claim that he is something else, we have broken the commandment.  To me, this commandment is about the truth; the truth about God.  If we do not tell the truth, we are ruining his reputation.  When we say, “It is God’s fault”, or insinuate some other theological error of the sort, we are breaking this commandment.  We are not telling the truth about God and giving Him a bad name, thus ruining his reputation amongst believers and unbelievers alike.  This is exactly why the search for the truth is so important.  “The truth shall set you free” is more than just a platitude.  It is a fact, and no more so than the truth about God.  He desires this, not so much for His own good–He knows who He is and what His name represents–but for our good and the good of others. 

 

We have often heard that the two greatest commandments are to love the Lord your God with all you heart, mind and soul and to love your neighbor as yourself and that the whole law is bound up in these two commandments.  When breaking it down, we often distinguish the first few of the Ten Commandments as loving God and the rest as loving neighbor.  I contend that not taking the LORD’s name in vain is loving both your neighbor and God, for by telling the truth about God, we allow our neighbor to love Him as well.  This commandment is part and parcel of the Evangelical process.  Without the truth about the Savior and the Father, no one is redeemed. 

 

This lays a great burden of responsibility on our shoulders.  We must search scripture and do our best to understand the truth.  It could mean the difference in someone else’s salvation. 

 

Karen and Bill Osborne have been leading the Glenwood Inklings for three years.  She enjoys discussing philosophy and apologetics with friends & family and is a voracious reader.  She plans to become a lawyer and last spring spent time touring with the C. S. Lewis Society in Oxford & Cambridge. 

 

Mr. Jacob’s Opus / An Ode to My Wife (by Darren Jacobs)

I write this listening to Brandi Carlile capture the air around her (the white flag is in her lyrics) and body-slam a tune called ‘Dreams’ into my mind, subconscious and waking moments as I watch my wife dance even when the band plays a sad song. My wife knows how to move…in everything she does she finds the beauty of a life lived well under dark skies…with cloud-breaks of celebration.

 

GayLynn’s annual scan had some issues. On the 18^th we’ll address them.

 

Never promise 49 weeks out of your life.  I had bold intentions with traveling together down a road called Christendom…but that’s past.  On October 18^th (Sunday morning) I hope to launch an awareness and prayer group that turns towards the heavens in quiet (and loud) supplication that all is well…and another year with GayLynn is just that.

 I take video footage of GayLynn…and wonder if that’s how I’ll remember her.  When we talk of our future dream of moving to downtown Vancouver, it all filters through a constricted cancer lens that blots out the beauty & hope we have.  When I listen to a song that plays just right, experience a film that not only captures the moment but defines it and walk slowly through a darkened room in the early morning hours to find GayLynn sleeping…light & hope manifest like music & lyrics.    

 In Astoria, on a jaunt from our hotel to the sprawling downtown sector, I took the picture of our shadows.  I wanted to remember that as the Son casts His light on our lives, we leave an image to be seen.  GayLynn’s is defined, hopeful and added beauty to an otherwise perfect day. My Opus is in her eyes; my longing is the very One who fills her being; my Hope is for a day filled with Shadows.

 I have dreams…yes, Ms. Carlile;  I do.

 Darren

 

Away with the King! (by Darren Jacobs)

Christ Carrying the Cross – El Greco

The picture of Christ Carrying  the Cross is by Spanish Renaissance Painter El Greco.  I used the image to open up a class I’m co-teaching at Columbia Presbyterian on Early Church History.  Something about the eyes filled with despair, longing, acceptance and the slap of cold-reality brings to life the impending death of Jesus.  His fingers (looking rather feminine) seem to stroke the beam of the cross with tenderness, as one gently grazing the strings on an instrument, so too this is an instrument…and death will be played on it.

 

Christianity is the only major religion to have as its central event the humiliation of its God. (Bruce L. Shelley, Church History in Plain Language – Pg. 3)

 

My screenwriting instructor always said to start the story at the beginning.  And that’s exactly what Shelley does in his sweeping epic of the Church moving through History like a rolling river rather than the usual depiction of a stagnant pond. In this first chapter he aims his arrow at the center of the center: How is Jesus of Nazareth to be understood?

 First & foremost, Jesus was a Jew, not a Christian.  Understanding Jesus devoid of Judaism (and somehow detached from his cultural, political & religious spheres) is impossible.  Jesus has often been misunderstood (historically speaking) or reinterpreted in a manner vastly different from the person we meet in the New Testament. And so as not to beg the point (concerning the validity of the ancient texts), Mr. Shelley has written a book about the Historicity of the Holy Scriptures that is worth the price.  Depending on the interest in this blog, that might be another completely different road to take together, always with the goal of traveling towards wisdom & enlightenment. Some journeys are worth taking.

 So for the rest of the tour, the Jesus of the Bible is our protagonist.  His character development, audience, message, ministry and lasting influence on the church will provide the dramatic narrative.  And speaking of plot points, there isn’t a better story on which all things…turn.

 Pharisees (the ‘separated ones’ composed of religious scribes enacting the Law to the Letter), Sadducees (the Aristocracy that controlled the High Jewish Court, the Sanhedrin), and Zealots (ushering in the coming Messiah’s rule with the sword) were all part of the infra-structure of Jesus’ world.  For the scholar you’ve probably noticed one group missing; an often overlooked group called the Essenes (not even listed in the spell-check of my word processor).

 The Essenes were an isolated Monastic community that participated in ritual washing which visually explained their stance of repentance and turning back to God.

 In my opinion (and outside the realm of historic fact) I believe John the Baptist was an Essene and Jesus was attracted to his mission statement of repentance and turning to God in mercy… as well as the high-traffic corner where he set up camp (the ford north of the Jordan).

The Baptist had the great privilege of uttering the greatest theological statement in human history:  “Behold, the Lamb of God.”  If you don’t know what that means, then there really is a purpose in blogging rather than creating an internet presence built on volume & exposure. Let’s discuss, argue and find Truth together…shall we?

 This really matters.  John attributed Jesus to the Jewish Passover Lamb.  The Lamb to be slaughtered so the Lord God might passover your household marked by the blood of the Lamb.  Potent stuff…and the audience that John was speaking to would get it; the trick now is for us to ‘get it’ too.

 And now for something completely different (thank you, Monty Python…) The Ministry & Message of Jesus, which for many Christians may seem somewhat foreign as we usually think Jesus went about talking in depth of the crucifixion and atonement.  Remember Jesus was a Jew (the Christian church did not exist yet) who had not died on the cross as of yet (the atonement) and therefore rising from the dead would be a cart before a huge stallion.  Shelley reminds us that one of Jesus’ catch-phrases throughout the New Testament is “Behold, the Kingdom of God is at hand…” and this is His primary Ministry. Shelley realizes the tension created by Jesus’ words:

 “Did he believe in a dramatic intervention of God in the history of the world – or – did he mean the Kingdom is already here in some sense?”

 Shelley responds by using an account in Scripture to show how it can be both.  “But if it is by the finger of God that I cast out demons, then the Kingdom of God has come upon you.”  Dramatic, Divine intervention fused with signs & wonders…here…& now!  It’s almost as if Jesus was saying, “The Kingdom of God is at hand because…God is at hand.”

 What about Jesus’ message?  If his Ministry was  to reveal the Kingdom of God to the world then His Message (Shelley concludes) is to explain how radically different His Kingdom rule is compared to the religious establishment of the day.

 Take a second and read Luke 18: 10-14 aloud.  If you’re a non-believer or atheist I think this passage may speak to you as well.  I’m convinced in every chapter Shelley will bring forth what I call a ‘Keeper’ quote.  Take this one with you…it’s essential in the Church’s understanding of this New Covenant Jesus proclaims. 

 “The contrast between the piety of the Pharisees and the attitude of the Jesus movement could hardly be greater.  One was based on the observance of the hundreds of religious laws of the Jews, the other rested upon a denial of self-righteousness and a trust in the mercy of God.”

So ends chapter one of early church history: Jesus came to show us a new realm; a realm based on mercy, not performance…and forever turned religion (Man’s attempt to merit divine favor) on its head. Only 48 chapters to go.

 Look back to the picture, look in his eyes…all the emotions are playing out and in the coming days as we travel the road with Mr. Shelley…I’m sure some of ours will hopefully find their way to this page. We are free to disagree, agreeably…so let’s act as adults and state our differences with finesse & respect.

 The New Covenant is the forgiveness of sin (the Baptist got it right) and the long awaited fulfillment of God’s promise to a people crippled by sin and separated from God. “By His striped we are healed;” Now, that’s a good story worth telling. Another chapter is right over the hill.

 Wineskins: Old & New

 Blessings,

Darren

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

Reflections from the Lamp-Post (by Darren Jacobs)

Addison's Walk: Where C. S. Lewis & Tolkien met at the crossroads.

Christians are shallow, intolerant and need a lesson in history.  No need to offend, I was talking about me.

 Life’s journey, at appointed times, brings us to crossroads.  You know the deal…you stand in confusion as your line-of-sight moves left to right (and hopefully lands on what’s right).  At the moment I’m waiting for big news, huge news, life changing news.  I might be opening a door of no return in the next few weeks.  More on that down the road.

 

But in the midst of silent revelry and quiet reflection I have made a commitment for the next year to travel with author Bruce Shelley (Church History in Plain Language) with the hope of finding revelation, understanding and clarity through his book and the minds & ideas of the noble people of Columbia Presbyterian and (God willing) those who join our band from Blog-World.

Are you pissed at Christians?  Are we haughty and shallow?  What do we want or gain from our take on past events?  And why are Faith Healers usually bald? Some journeys are simply worth taking.

 Okay, maybe this is a little ‘Julie & Julia’–but in all honesty I didn’t see it coming.  Julia Child liked food & cooking – I like theology & ideas…both tasty and both something good for the soul. Some are nutritious and some seem to slide down the garbage disposal with finesse.   

 It’s really very simple: 49 chapters/weeks covering 2000 years of (at times…oh, such times) thorny, delightful, embarrassing, liberating and all together intoxicating  slices of history served to please with a side of humility and a robust Cabernet.  So-you-yawn…no you won’t…this is going to fun, but for the time being I’m hungry and my wife and daughter Heather have made chicken enchiladas.  I’m taking Julia’s lead.

 First essay: Away with the King – coming tomorrow evening. Did Jesus really have anything to do with the formation of the Christian church? And if He did, what might that mean?

 I don’t mind if you tear into me (as long as your Malice is seasoned with love) as we have much to discuss… 2000 years to be precise.

 Looking at the ‘right’ things, but so intrigued by the left…

Darren

 

Narnians Invade UK; Memories & Mementoes Captured, returned to Colonies (by Jim Lamb)

Fellow Narnians take in the splendor of Ely Cathedral

The sovereign nation of England met her match recently when a hardy band of knurly Narnians invaded her shores ( May 31-June 8 ) under the command of Dr. Tom Woodward. The adventure was affectionately dubbed the Normandy Invasion, nicknamed, as it was, after the Good Doctor’s wife and collegial cohort, the lovely Lady Normandy, who meticulously crafted what was officially termed the 2009 C.S. Lewis Tour.

 The kinetic covey of Narnians swarmed the countryside, visiting cathedrals, pubs, courtyards and shoppes. And, of course, Stonehenge.Cameras of every size, shape and make captured treasured moments to create a very special Chronicle of Narnians — and no highlight was better appreciated than the visit to The Kilns, the cozy cottage of C.S. Lewis, where a generation ago much magic was lovingly brewed to stir the imaginations of children large and small; old and young. To stroll the narrow hallways of this humble abode of dreams and whimsy would have been pleasure enough for any Narnian, but to do so guided by that Great Prince of the Kingdom, Douglas Gresham, was — indeed — a Christmas treat in Spring, well worth its weight in Turkish Delights.

 There are other memories. Here are but a few:

 –Cobblestone streets, curbside treats and the humor of Ross Knox-Holmes, the Jay Leno of tour guides.

 –Penelope and Carolyn’s excursions, Dudley’s economic dissertations and the elegant stature of Salisbury Cathedral.

 –Dinner at the bizarrely uneven-floored Trout Inn, a delightful lunch with D. Gresham at the Eagle & Child in Oxford and Kathy Cutting’s marvelously cool mini-trike.

 –The literary insight of Darren Jacobs, Mercy Lynn creatively eyeing potential photographic scenes and the endearing somber grace of Ely Cathedral.

 –A touching, spirit-filled Sunday morning service at rain-drenched Holy Trinity Church, traipsing through the streets of Cambridge like curious children on an Easter Egg Hunt and listening to Jim & Jackie’s lively tale of Dick Van Dyke filming “Diagnosis Murder” at their home.

 All that, and so much more.

 But, like every fairly told fairytale, all good things must end — though the memories linger on, fondly, like smoky mists swirling slowly in the wake of a spectacularly splendid fireworks display. So we wait, like Children pondering the Ghosts and Gifts of Christmas Past, yearning for that next great Narnian adventure. May it come, and soon.

Jim Lamb is a retired journalist who resides with his lovely wife, Jo-Lynn, in West Central Florida. Jim is a Vietnam Veteran and father of four who accepted Christ as his personal Savior in Da Nang circa 1971. He is a firm believer in the fullness of the Grace of God and a humble fan of C.S. Lewis who provided one of the crucial crumbs leading him to accept Jesus of Nazareth as Messiah, Son of the Living God.

 

The Heart for Eternity Built in Stone (by Karen Osborne)

Karen Osborne & Estera Decean

 

I have now been to both the pyramids in Egypt and Stonehenge and both places have left me awe-inspired.  I do not use that term lightly.  I am not awed so much by their size or the attention to detail or the sophisticated engineering, though all of these things do cause pause for pondering.  I am awe-inspired because of the evidence these pagan cultures left that indeed God lives.

            This is a rather shocking statement on many levels, yet, this is how I see these architectural ancient wonders.  As everyone now knows, the pyramids were burial chambers which revolved around the whole afterlife beliefs of the Ancient Egyptians.  They were elaborately decorated on the inside and there were even dummy tunnels added to confuse would be robbers.  Of course, the building of these things was quite a feat.  Who knows how many people it took, how many hours and how much planning to get each huge block of stone from the quarry into its proper place.  Amazing in and of itself. 

Similarly, many now believe that Stonehenge was used as a funerary facility.  It was built and changed over time, but they have now discovered graves and there are barrows all over that area which are huge mounds of mass graves.  Like the Egyptians, the ancient peoples of England had to use a great deal of ingenuity and planning to get those huge stones to the site and make them stand in their current vertical positions;  again, an amazing feat.

As fascinating as all of this is though, it pales in comparison to the essential purpose of these places.  In Egypt one can see how all of life was based on the beliefs of the people.  How their hopes for eternity influenced every aspect of life.  Of course, we know a great deal more about the Ancient Egypt than we know about Ancient England since there is a written record.  However, all indications are that they had beliefs and hopes for eternity as well.  Perhaps they believed the community would be together always and this is the reason for the mass graves.  Perhaps they thought there was no way for the soul to escape after death buried under ground and this is the reason for the mounds.  Whatever they believed, the facts remain that a great deal of energy and effort was put into preparing for what was to come.

It is this very fact that leaves me awe-inspired.  It is such a forceful demonstration to me that God has written eternity on our hearts and that we all have an undeniable need to come to terms with what happens to us after death.  Human cultures have always devised ways of expressing this need and these expressions have had something of an eternal character of their own.  They have lasted thousands of years; standing there for the rest of us to ponder.

C. S. Lewis loved Mythology for a similar reason.  He saw it as having pieces of the truth which when considered carefully pointed to the reality of Christ.  The Myth breaking into history and becoming a reality; that is what he saw Christianity as being.  This is essentially how I see these ancient sites as well.  Every time I get the opportunity to visit one of these I leave them in a spirit of worship and praise.  I am so thankful that the human heart really is open to His truths, even if it doesn’t quite grasp them. 

I also realize that people are no different today, but are just seeking eternity in different ways.  If we can relate to how they are doing this it will make it easier to impart the truth of the gospel to them, for we will have a common place to begin the discussion.  So what are our Pyramids and Stonehenges today?  How are people living for the afterlife, perhaps without even knowing it?  How are they demonstrating their need that is written on their heart?  If we can answer these questions, I believe that there is one less barrier to the Gospel that we have to overcome when interacting with those around us.

Karen and Bill Osborne have been leading the Glenwood Inklings for three years.  She enjoys discussing philosophy and apologetics with friends & family and is a voracious reader.  She plans to become a lawyer and recently spent time touring with the C. S. Lewis Society in England.

 

Writing in the Dust (by Darren Jacobs)

Darren Jacobs

A woman caught in the relentless snare of sin surrounded by men with stones in hand ready to enact justice. And Jesus writing in the dust. We’re not told what he wrote, but I can only imagine.

I feel a deep sense of despair during this most Holy of Times. Easter saddens me because in the glitz of hidden eggs, dresses taken from the closet for their annual showing and vapid messages of spring and renewed hope…all seems so empty without the empty tomb. Without Christ bloodied & beaten for the hands that will find the eggs, the human forms that will display their Sunday best and the very breath to extol the sermons of a New Dawn…we lose the punch, the Great Plot-Point of History where everything turns on a beam of wood & nails and we’re ushered into an ancient tomb that opens; letting the sun in & the Son out. If we miss that – we miss all. Easter is retroactive…the empty tomb works backward and turns the cross into an exclamation point, “It is accomplished…” Jesus of Nazareth says before dying. So…what was accomplished? What happened that would cause us to celebrate? What is the lost message of Easter that is as plain as the writing on the wall?

For me it is Christ writing in the dust.

There is a tradition that Christ was writing the Sins of the men ready to heave stones. The older/wiser ones got the picture first and left in silence. But for me it goes much deeper: My sins were etched deep into the barren earth; My unfaithfulness; My carnality; My greed, lust, covetousness, Godless ambition and selfish pride…was enough. Enough to warrant the Atonement. Enough to shatter the wood that Christ used to write them. Enough to drive the nails deep into the wood that would hold Him.

Isaiah 53 is my favorite chapter in the Bible, because when I read it an empty tomb makes sense. If it is True that “By His stripes we are healed…” then Easter Sunday becomes much more than a Religious Holiday filled with Pomp and Circumstance. It is a sacred moment of timeless reflection by which we can turn and embrace a Risen Savior who took the brunt of all Sin…for us…in love…and with a greater purpose and meaning than any other event in Human History. The Fall from Grace remedied by the Grace of the Unfallen. That’s something to celebrate. The empty tomb becomes filled with meaning.