AND we believe the good news that “[Jesus] descended into hell; the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.”

Fully human? Yes. Fully divine? Yes. Not either/or, but both/and.

In the weekday kindergarten chapel last week, we were talking about Jesus being sad when we are sad. One small Batman-clad five-year-old declared that he was actually sad BECAUSE of Jesus—he wished Jesus were still around and not in heaven. “Well, that’s the great thing about Jesus,” says I, trying to keep my ministerial cool, “he’s both in heaven and alive right here in our hearts.” Frown, says the little boy’s face. “That’s kinda weird, isn’t it?” Pause. Fair enough, says the little boy’s face. And we moved on.
Somehow, having said it outloud that it’s hard to understand Jesus worked for that child. Not always, but sometimes kids can handle the ambiguity better than adults. Faith like a child. Belief grasped in innocence. It’s the only way to believe all that we believe—to hold fast to those moments of clarity when we know (not with our minds, but with our hearts) that Jesus was indeed raised from the dead and is alive both in heaven and in our hearts, sustaining us with his love and waiting to greet us in his Father’s house.

For if we do not, then as Paul says in I Corinthians 15:14, “…then our proclamation has been in vain and your faith has been in vain.” The good news in Jesus Christ is that… “he descended into hell; the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.” It’s Lent, so we traditionally we refrain from raising our Alleluias, but praise God Easter morning is coming—when we celebrate that Jesus did indeed rise from the dead—fully human, fully divine.