While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men suddenly stood near them in dazzling clothing; and as the women were terrified and bowed down their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living One among the dead? He is not here, but He has risen. Remember how He spoke to you while He was still in Galilee, saying that that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.”

And they remembered His words, and returned from the tomb and reported all these things to the eleven and to all the rest.Luke 24:4-9 (NASB)

God’s word applies to all facets of life, both personal and social. It guides and strengthens individuals. It was a foundation of the civil rights movement of the 1950’s and 1960’s and an important aspect of the Marcus Garvey’s movement in the 1910’s and 1920’s.

Christ’s resurrection provides analogies for the necessary rebirth of the oppressed Black race. Nevertheless, we must also be able to distinguish the Gospel from its movement and ideological applications and appreciate the word for its own worth.

The months that extend from Lent through Pentecost, which climaxed on Resurrection Sunday, are a good time to concentrate on God’s finished work through Jesus the Christ, but it is not the only time.

Undoubtedly, current occurrences in the world require our attention. Jesus’ ministry was an active one of moving about, healing people and criticizing entrenched exploitation, not just sitting in church. Yet, purposely taking time to focus on “straight Jesus” – the Word at face value without metaphoric implications – grounds us and, by its truth and power, leads us toward right solutions for problems of social justice and personal morality.

Christ’s resurrection gives ultimate meaning to His ministry. Without the resurrection, his crucifixion could seem like just another execution of a rebellious 1st century Jew by the Roman/ Sanhedrin power nexus of Judea/Galilee. Christ’s resurrection underscores God’s gift of everlasting life to believers. His resurrection facilitated His ascension. His ascension reinforces our understanding of Christ as part of the Godhead.

As important as today’s mass movements and ideologies are currently, they will have less relevance to persons living centuries or millenniums from now, just as few but historians know the burning social issues of past centuries and millenniums. God, however, always remains the same, regardless of changing times and changing conceptions of Him. He was, is, and will be the solution to oppression, injustice, social ills, and personal morality problems in all times, whether or not human beings choose to access the solution.

God gave Himself to us. The Word became flesh. Christ is the path to the Father and the key to forgiveness. Through Jesus, God provides the selfless love, the agape, that we can spread around to other people, at home and across the globe, through prayer and deed.

We must remember Christ’s words and deeds and report them to others, conforming to His command, issued after His resurrection, to make disciples of all the nations. If we seek God on God’s terms, specific applications – regarding individual morality and social justice – will be added to us.