Happy Easter! The Corona Virus cannot change the fact of the resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It may change some things, like worshiping, but never the truth of the message of Christ. We take the Lord’s Supper; we gather around the table; to remember the death, burial and resurrection of Christ. We feast together and we proclaim the message until he comes back again. The Lord’s Supper reminds us of the whole Gospel event. It is a message meal; a spiritual feast. Whether you take the Lord’s Supper at home with your family, or if you gather in groups less than ten, observing social distancing, you are rejoicing and proclaiming the Easter story along with all believers. Jesus has risen from the dead! His body is not to be found in any tomb.
And for many, Easter is a special time of remembrance: a Spring time for the soul. Life blooms anew here. And to be sure, this ought to be the case all the time. But as far as I can tell there is nothing wrong with a special day – as long as it is for the Lord (Romans 14:5-6). And maybe, just maybe, due to our current circumstances, the importance of the resurrection will have more meaning. When this is all over, will many souls burst out into the open, as from a tomb, and dance like they have found life again? Will we have a deeper appreciation of death and resurrection, I wonder? Can we learn like Ebenezer Scrooge, that the meaning of some special days should be carried with us always – not just on that day? And I’m not talking about eating Peeps throughout the year. I’m speaking of the Gospel message of resurrection resonating year-round. I’m speaking of a soul-shaping appreciation for the story. The tomb is empty!
And why am I seemingly aimlessly wandering about this topic? Because this year is different. This year I will miss seeing many in my church family. This year there will be small Easter gatherings in homes full of people who already have contact with each other. There may still be a ham dinner; there may still be egg hunts; there may still be baskets; there may still be chocolate bunnies. But I’m guessing that it will feel different. But most of all there will still be an acknowledgment of an empty tomb; of a resurrected Jesus who now sits at the right hand of his Father. He has left the tomb.
I am breaking from our regular series of articles to emphasize that in the midst of the darkness, there is a brilliantly bright light. I am writing about this because I think many are beginning to feel the weight of different. It is not all bad. It never is. There has been great stories of families doing more together; of strangers stepping up and helping others; of essential employees serving with grace and kindness. But there are the wearying stories as well; stories of new scams; of panic induced stock piling; of blaming everyone else; of whining. And in the midst of the ongoing confinement; of the shifting and changing of normal; there is good news that is rock solid; that never changes. The tomb is empty!
Easter is not about new clothes. It is not about egg hunts. It is not about baskets. It is not about ham dinners. None of these things are wrong. But if these things represent the apex of our celebration at Easter, we have missed the significance. Easter is about resurrection. And not just the resurrection of Jesus, as important that is. Paul tells us that Jesus is the first fruit of resurrection. In the Old Testament, the Jews were commanded to give God the first fruit of the harvest. This was about giving God the first. But it was more than that. It was about faith. It would have been tempting to say, “I’ll give you the same amount at the end of the harvest. I just want to make sure I will have enough.” In that fear, God commands a trust in him. God will complete the harvest. Easter is the celebration of the first fruit. This time it is God who offered the first fruit. He sent his son to be the first to die and be resurrected – the best and the first of us all. With this is a promise: the harvest will continue. Our tombs will also be empty.
It is a question of faith. Do you believe that God raised Jesus from the dead? Do you believe that all of his followers will also be raised from the dead? Do you? I’m thinking that this kind of faith will lead to action. Easter is a celebration of resurrected life that happens spiritually now and will happen physically when Jesus comes back again. The same power that raised Jesus, raises us. That is good news. Do you believe it? So, I am going to end where I began this rambling walk about: Happy Easter!