Glad to be with you on Thursday in the “Pastor’s Workshop”. By now you know, Thursday is when take all the preparatory work of our week and “put it all together”.
As you remember we’re working with John 20:1-3, 11-18 and I Corinthians 15:51-58. These two great and contrasting texts both witness to the glory of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Yesterday we noted how these “contrasting” texts are set within a contemporary contrast. What’s happening in our world with the Coronavirus stands side by side with the message of Easter morning. In some ways, the contrast between death and life could not be more dramatic. Through this contrast, our need for the Easter hope could not be made more clear.
Our desire for our Easter message is to give voice to this contrast in ways that we experience not only our heartfelt fears but also our life-giving faith.
Our message will begin with how we are experiencing a deep sense of our own mortality. The signs of this are everywhere.
Out of the depth of our mortality come significant questions. Questions not only about death but also about life. Is life in this world all there is? Is life simply a “biological phenomenon”? What comes next? More? Nothing?
Easter speaks to those questions. It begins in that place of “Nothing”. Mary comes to the tomb in the darkness and finds emptiness.
Easter then asks its own set of important questions. “Woman, why are you weeping?” “Whom do you seek?” These are “leading questions”. They are awakening questions. They begin to prepare Mary for the encounter that will transform her life forever, in a split second moment.
The Gospel of John leads us through Mary’s life change in a most beautiful way.
Easter would lead us into that same life-changing encounter. Easter proclaims that there is a reality which overarches our mortality. It is the Reality of Resurrection!
As Mary runs from the tomb her heart is no longer empty. Her spirit is filled with incredible joy. “I have seen the Lord!” There is More!
When we ask what comes next we can know – There is More! So much More! So much more beyond this life, Easter assuring us that after this life there is ongoing, forever Life with God. So much More right now – today and every day. Easter calling us to live a Risen Life with Christ, possible in every moment.
The Apostle puts it all in a grand perspective. What is mortal has “put on” immortality (15:53). Death has been swallowed up in Victory (15:54). Thanks be to God who gives us that very Victory in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (15:57).
Even as the signs of our mortality are everywhere, the signs of resurrection are everywhere as well. Even as we see the one in fear, we can also see and be the other in faith.
That’s a brief “walk through” of what’s ahead for Sunday. Of course, it will be expanded and enhanced!
What are your thoughts? How did you “put your pieces together”? What might be the message these Scriptures “preached” to you this Easter? Jot down your thoughts. Outline your message. I know God has been saying something to your heart that is worth putting to paper (or computer).
It is a blessing to be with you as we work through the message each week. And particularly on this Holy Week, I am so grateful to be together. It’s in that gift of our shared faith I look forward to joining you again on Saturday for “prayer that prepares” and on Sunday for a glorious Easter worship!
Prayer: Gracious God, we always pray that the message of Sunday morning is not our own, but Yours. We ask that our thoughts would be Scripturally grounded and Spiritually inspired. We pray that you would be at work in ways that our words give a faithful voice to your Holy and transforming Word. In that blessing which trusts that your Love in Christ would always be lifting us into the Life you have for us and all in Christ, we raise this prayer and message to you in Jesus’ name. Amen