Dr. Timothy Tennent: Awake O Sleeper
The bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead is the great, defining cornerstone of the Christian faith. Without it, Paul says, our faith is useless and we have believed in vain (1 Cor. 15:14). However, it is not merely that we look back at an historical event which took place 2,000 years ago, but it is also our story since as those who are now “in Christ” we share in that sacred space of resurrection and new life. We, too, have been raised from the dead.
My 6th great grandfather was William Tennent, Jr. He had been called into the ministry and was studying for his ordination exams when, quite suddenly, he heaved deeply and fell dead. He was still in his 20’s, so you can imagine the sadness which gripped the family. A doctor came and examined him and officially pronounced him dead. In those days it was not always easy to declare someone dead because the only signs were outward indicators like rigor mortis, the death pallor, and the loss of pulse, all three of which were true of William Jr. The next day, as they were preparing for the funeral (planned for the following day) another doctor examined him because he felt that William Tennent didn’t have the “appearance of death,” but he also concluded that he was dead. The doctor even plunged his hand into icy cold water and then felt under William’s armpit to see if he could detect any warmth at all, but to no avail. He was declared dead a second time. Finally, when he was placed in the casket on the day of the funeral and the family was all gathering for the service a third doctor asked to examine the body again. It was just 15 minutes before the casket was to be closed, the family and guests had arrived, and the funeral was about to begin. William’s father (William Sr.) and his brother Gilbert both objected, but the doctor insisted. Finally, they reluctantly allowed him to examine William Jr., and to everyone’s amazement the “body” sneezed! The immediately took him out of the casket and wrapped him in warm cloths and he eventually came into consciousness. It took several years for him to fully recover, but he went to marry, have children and was a pastor for over 40 years before he died.
Our family has often reflected on this amazing story and it was not lost on me – a direct descendent – that if they had closed the casket that day, I would never have been born. I am alive today because William Tennent, Jr. woke up! It reminds me of that great text in Ephesians – which has become the rallying cry of our New Room Conference: “Awake O Sleeper, Rise from the Dead and Christ will shine on you” (Eph. 5:14). This story from my family is truly amazing, and one which is often told at our family gatherings. A little book about William Tennent’s experience was published in the 18th century and is still available today on Amazon. It is called Life of William Tennent: An Account of His Being Three Days in a Trance and Apparently Lifeless by Elias Boudinot. But, this is not simply a breathtaking account from my life, but it is the story of us all. The resurrection of Jesus Christ to life after three days in the grave is the source of your life and mine. This is the real story of a resurrection. It was not merely a resuscitation after a coma, but a true overturning of death. We, too, would have no life in us if not for that great event in history: Jesus Christ is the Risen Lord!
As you conduct your ministry and shepherd your flock, never forget that we are the people of the Risen Lord! We have the message of life for a dying world. None of us have any hope without the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ. We are not merely religious practitioners. We are not merely denominational leaders or pastors. We are heralds of the timeless message that in Jesus Christ there is life because He alone has conquered death! Thanks be to God!
An amazing story. Thanks for sharing.
Wow, cool genealogical history! And that’s the same Elias Boudinot who wrote a book how the Indians may be the so-called 10 lost tribes of Israel over a decade before Joseph Smith took the idea to write the Book of Mormon!
An amazing story indeed! Touched by it.