EASTER
For as long as I remember - Easter - more so than even Christmas has been observed and celebrated in my family. Easter celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the central belief in Christianity. Following the crucifixion and burial of Jesus, His body was placed in a tomb but three days later, when the women went to the tomb early in the morning, it was empty. Jesus was alive and He appeared to His followers that day, showing His victory over death. This event is known as the resurrection and is the basis for Easter celebrations and the hope Christians have for eternal life.
When I was a child growing up in Cornwall, it was the practice of the evangelical churches to gather together for the Good Friday service. My pastor’s name was Mr. Timpany and even as a young child of 4 or 5, I remember waving to him - from my seat in the congregation - and him giving a wave back to me. It always felt so special to see my pastor sitting with all the other ministers.
I also remember a blind gentleman, whose name escapes me now - singing Were You There? He was a tall man. I was mesmerized with the fact that he was blind and had memorized the words of the song…..Were you there when they crucified my Lord? O! Sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble. Were you there when they crucified my Lord?…..Were you there when they nailed Him to the tree?……..Were you there when they laid Him in the grave?…….Were you there when He rose up from the grave? His voice was strong and powerful and even as a young girl, my heart was moved by his singing.
I once had the opportunity to sing Sandi Patty’s Good Friday song at my church - Via Dolorosa!
Down the Via Dolorosa in Jerusalem that day - The soldiers tried to clear the narrow street. But the crowd pressed in to see - The man condemned to die at Calvary.
He was bleeding from a beating, there were stripes upon His back. And He wore a crown of thorns upon His head. And he bore with every step - The scorn of those who cried out for His death.
Down the Via Dolorosa called the way of suffering - Like a lamb came the Messiah, Christ the King. But He chose to walk that road out of His love for you and me - Down the Via Dolorosa, all the way to Calvary.
The blood that would cleanse the souls of all men - Made its way to the heart of Jerusalem. Down the Via Dolorosa, all the way to Calvary.
Good Friday! The Bible records the “seven” last words of Christ from the cross. #1. “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” #2. “I tell you the truth, today, you will be with me in paradise.” #3. “Behold your mother.” #4. “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” #5. “I thirst.” #6. “It is finished.” #7. “Father, into Your hands I commit my spirit.”
My niece’s church in Montreal shared a daily reading for Holy week and I was pleasantly surprised and filled with joy as I read Tuesday’s reading - written by my great niece - Ella Morton - age 18. “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.” Ella writes - “These are some of the most comforting Jesus ever said. He was on the cross, suffering and still He had love and hope to give. The man beside Him, as thief, had made a lot of mistakes in his life, and was now being punished for them. He had nothing to offer, nothing to prove and still Jesus said “today you will be with me in paradise.” Just like that. I think this verse is a simple and perfect representation of who Jesus really is. He is full of truth, full or mercy, and full of love. He didn’t say “maybe” or “someday”. He said today. That means right away. There was no waiting and no more fear. Just peace, and a promise that will be kept.
That was Friday.
Easter Saturday must have been terrifying for those early believers. Jesus had been put to death on the cross the day before. His body had been taken down and lovingly anointed with oils and wrapped and put in a borrowed grave - a huge stone placed in front of the cave. I imagine they were in hiding. I imagine they thought they might be put to death next. I imagine they wondered how everything had gone so horribly wrong.
Silent Saturday. A wait. A pause. A process. Death had to occur for life to break through. Darkness had to have its fight in order to be defeated by the light.
The silence of Saturday speaks the message loud and clear. Time to trust. Time to take heart. The Resurrection is on the other side of silence and it was about to get LOUD!
Sunday morning! Early - just before dawn! Women wondering! Stone rolled away! Angel! No body! Empty tomb! He’s alive. Heaven and earth rejoicing!
Hillsong worship wrote this song about Good Friday and Easter Sunday - O Praise the Name!Verse three goes like this - “Then on the third at break of dawn, The Son of heaven rose again. O trampled death where is your sting? The angels roar for Christ the King. O praise the name of the Lord our God. O praise His name forever more. For endless days we will sing Your praise, O Lord, oh Lord our God. He shall return in robes of white, The blazing Son shall pierce the night. And I will rise among the saints, My gaze transfixed on Jesus’ face.”
I love this song. I love singing it. I love knowing that death has been trampled and the sting has been lessened. I imagine all of heaven - all the myriads of angels - roaring with joy on that first Easter morning. If we thought the angels were loudly proclaiming Christ’s birth - imagine their excitement at proclaiming His resurrection. The precious Son of God - had been dead - was now alive.
Can you feel it? I do! The weight of fear and frustration and heartbreak and worry and anxiety - presses us down - pressures us - squeezes us. Pure evil is on display in obvious ways. Wars! Hunger! Uncertainty! Anger! Fighting! Disease! Death!
But take heart. This heaviness leads to release.
The waiting of Holy Week leads to the joy of knowing that the resurrection of Christ provides peace and life for us. Jesus triumphed over death so we can live - here - right now - with peace in a wicked world - and - later - after death - in heaven. That’s good news. That’s better than good news. That’s great news.
Have a blessed Easter.