Tuesday, April 14, 2009

CHRIST IS RISEN

Christ is risen! I hope you had a nice Easter. Carol and I worshipped with family and friends at St. Paul's in Boca Raton, FL. It was a joyful service, with a fine message and magnificent music led by their Minister of Music who just two weeks before had broken his left wrist. Watching him play the great organ using only pedals and his right hand was fascinating and inspiring. He even directed the choir using his broken arm, though it made him wince in pain. As my sister, whose husband was a lifelong Minister of Music, said, "The show must go on."

That's very true. Last month I subbed at the last second for a pastor who became ill as he was ready to start the service. I gowned in his place, led the service and ad libbed a sermon from the lessons. The show must go on.

But is it just a show? Why celebrate Easter? For that matter, why have church services? It's simple - to rejoice in Jesus' resurrection. Without it, we'd have no church. Without the open grave and the living Christ, Christians would be no different than any other religion. Jesus' resurrection proved He really was God's Son, and all He said about Himself was really true. He is God and all who follow Him in faith are given eternal life.

People come to church for many different reasons: to please someone (including God), out of habit, to feel better, to see friends, or, yes, also to hear the Gospel and be blessed by the Sacrament. But all we do there is only because Jesus arose from the dead. As the Holy Scriptures say, "If Christ was not raised from the dead, then our faith is in vain." (1 Corinthians 15:14) The message of Easter makes it all true and worthwhile.

May you be blessed with joy and renewed faith in His Resurrection.

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