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We are all familiar with climaxes: Gollum falls into the fires of Mount Doom, destroying the One Ring; with Luke on the edge of death, Darth Vader hurls the Emperor into the depths of the Death Star; as raptors are about to strike, the tyrannosaur bursts into the lobby and devours them.
A great climax is both terrifying and wonderful. It must be a dramatic, awe-inspiring, even frightening, event, but it must also bring relief. It comes at the most dangerous moment, but it then releases the tension and brings calm. Most of us can recognize a climax when we see one, even if we are not aware of it, but it is much easier to pick out the key moment in a film than it is to step back and look for such moments in history.
Some things are too big for us to see clearly, and can be difficult for us to conceive. For this reason, I think that many of us have missed the greatest climax of all: the climax of the entire universe.
What event could be so great that it should be called the climax of the universe? We may think of some cataclysmic moment of destruction, some galactic supernova to end everything, or we may think that perhaps it has already happened, in the form of the Big Bang or some other cosmic beginning. However, the true climax of the universe is much more powerful, much more fundamental, and much more personal than anything else. It is the most dramatic and amazing event imaginable. It is the death of God.
The entire history of the world led up to the moment that Jesus died on a cross, almost 2,000 years ago. The gospels tell us that the visible, physical results were dramatic darkness in the middle of the day, the earth trembling and rocks splitting but the power of this climactic event goes much deeper. It was the moment the father was separated from the son. The lord of the universe was killed by his creation. The source of life went through death.
Why did this happen? Why would God allow this earth-shattering death to take place?
The answer is his love for us. Jesus took on himself the sins of the whole world, and died to pay the price for all of us. That is why this climax is not just the most terrifying but also the most wonderful. As the ultimate climax, it also brings the greatest peace and relief, because Jesus did not stay dead. He conquered death itself and invites us all to new life with him. The whole universe builds to this great event; god has given himself up for us and died to save us from our guilt.
This is what we are celebrating during Easter. In the face of such extreme power, such intense drama and such personal significance, almost everything else seems to fade and lose importance. The stories are true: the God of the Universe died but has returned, and he calls to you to accept his sacrifice and let his death save you. What greater climax could we imagine?
the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. Isaiah 53:5
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