Easter People

He Is Risen!

Easter Sunday has come and gone but our Lord is still risen and the power He brings to our lives can have a life-changing, life-transforming effect when we are willing to fully embrace it. I pray that the awe and power of Easter has not been lost on you this week and that you are able to discover new ways to celebrate our risen Lord!

Yesterday, I was at a Ministerial Alliance meeting when one of the pastors was talking about an experience he had while sitting at a local coffee shop. He overheard some people (mid 50s -mid 60s) talking about spiritual matters. They were talking about how they had made the conscious decision to stop going to church. How after 50 years of attending church, they decided it wasn't important. They talked excitedly about how this decision has lifted a burden off of them and they feel more free than they have in a long time!

While at first we may be shocked by such a comment, if we are honest about it are we really surprised? Granted, we don't know the fullness of their stories. We don't know if there were bad church experiences. We don't know if they had some theological differences or spiritual staleness that had crept into their lives. We don't know the "rest of the story".

What we do know is that they no longer saw church as important. They no longer experienced the benefit of church in their lives. They no longer viewed the church as a vibrant community that could make a difference in their lives - let alone anyone else's life.

This view of church has been growing over the last decade, and growing rapidly. The church, and the people within it, are viewed as out of touch with the world. While Jesus said that those who follow Him will be persecuted, He did not say that we should stop interacting with the world and trying to understand their issues with the church or the Christian faith. He did not say that we should hole ourselves up in our sanctuaries and our buildings and focus on each other. In order to be persecuted, you have to be interacting with the world. In order to be persecuted for the faith, you have to be sharing the faith.

The coffee shop conversation should lead us, as the Christian church, to ask ourselves what image of Christ we are reflecting. Is the life of the church cultivating an excitement for following Jesus? How is the church relevant to our changing culture? Are we sharing our faith in a way that brings life to those around us?

As Easter people, we are called out from beyond our tombs. We are called not only to experience the life Christ has given, but to help others rise out of the darkness of their lives into a new glory and life with our Lord. As Easter people, we are being challenged to rise up and share the greatest story ever lived! Maybe then the coffee-house conversation will be more about being free from the burdens of this life because of the life that Christ offers and how that new life is found in His church.

Wouldn't that be great?

Precious Lord, we know that there is darkness that surrounds us. We know that we can become complacent with our way of life - whether it is with You or without You. And, when we do, the darkness creeps in. Remind us again and again, however many times you need to, that we are Easter people. Continue, O Lord, to provide us with Your power and to live the life that You have given us so that all may experience the joy of living with You. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.