Resurrection Footsteps

 

How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!

 

Jesus had beautiful feet! In the wake of Jesus’ footsteps there were: blind who saw, lame who walked; dead raised, people forgiven, demons cast out, hopeless saved, powers stymied, lost found, woman recognized, poor empowered, children welcomed, the bound set-free.

 

How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation. – Isaiah 52: 7; Nahum 1: 15 (Rms 10: 15)

Mary Magdalene and the other Mary had beautiful feet!

The Mary’s were the first human witnesses and the first confessors of the news, Jesus is risen!

The Mary’s, on foot, left quickly with fear and great joy to run and tell the disciples.

On there way suddenly Jesus met and greeted them. “They came to him, took hold of his feet, and worshiped him.” –Mt. 28: 9

 

How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation.

 

For a moment, rather than, looking up and greeting this Easter morning with loud ‘Alleluias,’ let us pause to consider our feet. Your feet are pretty amazing. Feet are literally the foundation of the human body with 26 bones, 33 joints, 100 muscles, and 8000 nerves. The state of our feet impacts our health, mobility, balance, and posture. In an average day of walking, feet carry forces totalling hundreds of tons, equivalent to a fully loaded cement truck. In a lifetime, a pair of feet will walk approximately 185,000kms; that is circling the globe four times. And at the end, when bodies die, the feet are the first to mark the change from life to death.  

Your feet are pretty amazing! Are your feet also beautiful?

 

How beautiful on the mountain are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation. The Bible is clear on describing beautiful feet. This passage is spoken by the prophet Isaiah, the prophet Nahum; the Apostle Paul wrote it into the book of Romans and the author of Ephesians described putting on shoes for spreading the gospel of peace.

 

All the scripture passages for this morning are examples of articulating the story of Easter weekend - the spreading of good news, good tidings, and proclaiming salvation. Through the Easter season we will hear more examples of the articulation of Jesus’ death and resurrection, along with the actions of Jesus’ followers that proclaim peace and bring good tidings.

 

You are invited to consider your feet.

Upon hearing the greeting of Jesus, the Mary’s hold his feet; a sign of respect, honour, and worship. The Mary’s know that these feet have done justice, loved kindness, and walked humbly with God- Micah 6: 8. Do you know someone for whom such respect can be given? Do your feet do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with God?

If you are anything like me, we spend our days putting one foot in front of the other moving forward to accomplish goals, catch our dreams, and make the most of our time while we can. In the process we are unconscious of what is left in our wake. Thoughts, words, and deeds can leave messy ground behind. We leave behind disturbed earth. We trample others underfoot. We stomp on shoots of growing kindom.

 

‘Beautiful feet’ requires thought and intention.

 

Do you walk with purposeful footsteps? In my late teens I pulled a ligament in my knee, at that time the university sports medicine clinic found that my kneecaps tracked diagonally instead of going up and down. This meant exercises and taping, and most importantly I had to consciously think about every step I took when I walked. Each foot strike was done with careful intention. It took lots of practice, retraining my brain and my joints. When the movement became habit, I was not done; 30 years later I still have to return to practicing and to consciously consider how my feet are placed on the earth.

 

Just as I learned and practiced conscious walking as a teen, as followers of a risen Christ, we too are to step with intention. The resurrection is an idle tale if doesn’t change how we walk through our time on this earth. Jesus’ story is resurrected through its being lived.

The events of the past week, from the procession of palms to Jesus’ death and resurrection, remain only a story if legs are not given to it. Easter happens as people choose to hold on to Jesus’ feet and then run to tell others. Feet blossom into being beautiful as they go, telling the story of resurrection; and through actions living resurrection by bringing the kindom of God.

Beautiful feet leave a trail of resurrection.

 

As days start to feel more like spring than winter, as the air begins to smell like moist soil and growing things, as we are more likely to go out for walks remember to take a look at your feet. Remember to grab a hold of Jesus’ feet, breath in life, and go, running to tell others the good news. Set an intention to leave church this morning committed to walk a life that leaves a trail of resurrection in your wake.

 

There is a folktale of a woman who walked a barren path twice a day to get water for her household. One of her buckets had a small hole that left a trail of water beside the path. People told her she should fix the bucket. She didn’t and a few months later flowers grew along the path that was watered in her wake. This is an image of what it is to live Easter --- to patiently and consistently walk through the barren, the forgotten, the tramped down, the unloved, the dead, and leave a trail of resurrection.

The Bible has informed us as to what produces a trail of resurrection -- Footsteps and actions of: justice, compassion, mercy, kindness, love, humility, hope, positivity, goodness, peace, salvation.

 

We follow the path of Jesus. We follow Jesus down a road that comes to life in the passing of his footsteps. Jesus has beautiful feet! In the wake of Jesus’ footsteps: the blind see, mourners rejoice, women make proclamation, death becomes life, hope blossoms, grace abounds, all are embraced, reconciliation matters, and creation thrives. This is Easter! This is the path I choose to follow! This is the path I wish to leave in my wake! Will you come with me? Will you commit to living Easter one intentional step at a time?

 

May it be said of you:

How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation.