Living the Resurrection

Eugene Peterson subtitles this book ‘The Risen Christ in Everyday Life’ and shows us how to live in the truth of the resurrection. On one level, it is an easy read – after all, Peterson is the man behind the hugely accessible The Message but it goes far deeper. It challenges and encourages .

The book ends with the resurrection stories from The Message. I suggest that this is where we should start, with the Word as the core and backdrop to Peterson’s thoughts. He reflects on three aspects of Christ’s resurrection. Firstly the wonder of the resurrection spurs us on, not just to ‘life after death’ but ‘life in the land of the living’. We need to keep before us that sense of awe and amazement. “Without wonder, we approach spiritual formation as a self-help project.” This perspective, considering Christ’s marvellous defeat of death, reminds us that “our souls are formed by what we cannot work up or take charge of”. It’s up to God, not up to us.

Yet this development of our souls is not done in isolation but in the context of everyday life. The resurrection meal - the familiarity of eating - reflects how Jesus takes whatever we offer him, blesses it, breaks it and gives it back to us to use for his glory.

Finally, we are to live and practise resurrection in the context of the Church: in the company of friends who we are in relationship with because of WHO WE ARE IN JESUS.

A simple formula for the Christian life: repent, simplify, turn our backs on ‘the world, the flesh and the devil’ and follow him who IS the resurrection and the life. Simple.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from NavPress Publishers as part of their Blogger Review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”