Confusing Easter with Groundhog’s Day 

CHRIST IS RISEN! HE IS RISEN INDEED!!!

With this Easter greeting we begin each Sunday service during the season of Easter. We affirm to the world and remind ourselves of the realities of our faith, and that the basis of all things Christian is found in that Cross/Resurrection event.

But why? Why is Easter the most profoundly important and deeply spiritual worship day for us? I’m quite sure many misunderstand this.  I know it sounds a little warped, but it sometimes appears to me that people have confused these two not-awfully-similar holidays: Easter and Groundhogs day. 

Stick with me here for a moment. It almost seems as though people feel that Jesus died on the cross, rose from the dead (ok so far...), poked his head out of the cave (uh oh), and saw his shadow, thereby predicting six more weeks of preaching (oh, dear!). In other words, many, many people, some Christians included, live as though nothing really significant happened at Easter – at all. Maybe a little pomp and circumstance, maybe a little commotion, but nothing really important is going on that affects us.

 What’s a pastor to do? Simply remind you of the gospel... from the 2nd lesson for Sunday, March 30th (Easter 2): “By his great mercy he has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who are being protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”  (1 Peter 1:3b-5). “New Birth! Living Hope! Inheritance imperishable! Protected by the Power of God! Salvation!”

What? No shadow? Oh, yeah. From Matthew 4:16: “The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned."   WE were in the shadow, and now in him, light has come. Christ is RISEN!!! He is RISEN INDEED!!!! Amen.

New Adult COW Class Beginning

Perhaps you’ve heard of the book, The Four Agreements, by Don Miguel Ruiz. I had heard of it and glanced at it and found it really interesting... but not particularly Christian. After all, it was recommended by Oprah (for heaven’s sake!) and it draws its sayings from ancient Toltec teachings. How is this helpful for us?

One of my favorite ways of teaching or preaching is to take people out of their “Christian ruts,” out of their time-worn way of thinking so that biblical truths can be perceived in a new light. So, I decided to take another deep look at this book from the point of view of Scripture and found it to be a really fascinating way of looking at Jesus’ teachings! It was really fun to see some of what Jesus said from another point of view. 

Adult COW starts this Wednesday, April 2nd at either 10 am or 6 pm. Bring your copy of the book if you have one, or pick one up at a local book store, or let me know and I’ll pick one up for you (about $12.00). Join us for a fun study!

Pastor Larry