The Last Laugh 

👤 Geoff

I was on my way to Canterbury the other day when I saw an AA van driving along on the other side of the road. The driver looked very miserable and was sobbing inconsolably. I thought to myself: ‘That guy’s heading for a breakdown’.

Actually that wasn’t true - it was a joke. Just in case you were wondering.

I was interested to read that in the Yamagata province of Japan, residents are legally required to laugh at least once a day. And I also read somewhere that in the Greek Orthodox tradition, the day after Easter is devoted to telling jokes - because Easter tells us that God has the last laugh. 

Now I don't know whether that's true or not, but I rather hope that it is.  As a connoisseur of ‘dad’ jokes the idea appeals to me. Although in many ways Easter is a serious business, it seems a very joyful way to celebrate the fact that Jesus is risen. On Good Friday, the devil thought he had won, smugly believing he had the last word, smiling to himself in apparent victory. Then God raised Jesus from the dead, and life and salvation became the last words. Satan has had his day - Jesus lives! He has overcome death and sorted out my sin. Surely that’s worth a smile, if not a full belly laugh of delight.

I think the poet Steve Turner captures a sense of this playfulness and joy in his ‘Poem for Easter’:

Tell me:
What came first
Easter or the egg?
Crucifixion
         or daffodils?
Three days in a tomb
         or four days
in Paris?
         (returning
Bank Holiday Monday).

When is a door
not a door?
When it is rolled away.
When is a body
not a body?
When it is a risen.

Question.
Why was it the Saviour rode on the cross?
Answer.
To get us
to the other side.

Behold I stand.
Behold I stand and what?
Behold I stand at the door and

knock knock.

In John 20 we read how Mary Magdalene’s experience was transformed as she met the risen Lord Jesus. A day that started with tears and confusion turned into one of laughter and rejoicing. She hurried to the disciples with the news: ‘I have seen the Lord!’ Later that day Jesus met with the rest of the disciples and John tells us they were overjoyed when they saw him.

Easter should be a celebration full of joy and laughter. Let there be feasting and fun, music, festivity and dancing—anticipating the fullness of the kingdom that is our hope in Jesus. This Easter, don't just read about Mary's delight and the disciples’ joy. Let it live in you - in your heart and mind and soul! Rejoice! Smile, take heart, have a laugh, because you have a hope that is steadfast and certain.

Go on, let yourself go. Tell jokes, celebrate a little, for God has the last laugh and Jesus has risen!