An EASTER thought from the Pastors
And what if it is true?
What if the dead don’t stay dead? What if death is real but not final, full of pain and sorrow but not the last word, not the ultimate end, not the tragic victory it seems?
What if sin – even our own – doesn’t have the last word? What if God really does love us, really does forgive us, really sent Jesus to die for our sins, really offers us new life here and now?
What if evil and Satan and all the trials and temptations and troubles and turmoil and terrors and “Trumps” of this world and our lives – everything that denies us and oppresses us and condemns us – doesn’t have the final say… doesn’t win, doesn’t triumph in the end?
What if God in Christ Jesus can and does transform us into Easter people, can and does resurrect us, can and does empower us to new life, to rise up above the death of hopes and dreams… to rise up above our graves of depression, desolation, and despair… to rise up above the horror and burden of COVID-19… to rise up above evil circumstances and people?
On Friday, we counted ourselves among the losers in history.
On Friday, we saw our beloved teacher humiliated and crucified… dead as dead can be.
On Friday, we mourned and gave up.
On Friday, the movement died. We all know how devastating Friday was, even the one we call “Good.”
But then came Easter Sunday morning – breaking into our world and into our lives!
Then came Easter Sunday morning – Jesus got up!
The cold fingers of death were bent from their grasp… the grave was emptied of the lifeless body it held… and evil’s chain was broken!
Jesus got up!
“The end” was not what it seemed.
Jesus got up!
Jesus has destroyed death by suffering death.
O death, where is your sting? O death, where is your victory?
Jesus got up!
Jesus has defeated hell by descending into hell.
Hell was mocked, hell was annihilated, hell’s power was destroyed, and Jesus has triumphed.
Jesus got up!
Are you still amazed?
Jesus got up!
Are you alive because of this?
Jesus got up!
Do you have hope, do you have joy, will you continue to live, continue to love in response to this?
Jesus got up!
Will you hear this message, will you tell this story, will you help make it real for others?
“Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen,” the angels said.
What if this is true?
What is Jesus Christ still lives on?
Jesus got up!
The surprise of Easter – I tell you – hasn’t ended.
In our faith, the dead don’t stay dead… they rise!
And we, who were dead in our estrangement from God, are reborn and lifted to new life.
In our faith, sin, death, and the devil don’t have the final word.
Jesus got up!
Every year, we ought to wonder at it – how we get another chance, according to God’s love and promise.
Each day, the surprise of Easter offers us new life.
In every worst moment, fear does not win over love, death does not defeat life, and light still flickers.
The only thing that limits our joy and the power of God in our lives is our reluctance to believe, to trust,
and to go with it even with our doubts.
BECAUSE HE DIED, YOU ARE EASTER-ALIVE!
Christ’s resurrection means that the story is “to be continued” – in you, in me, and in every life that is touched by the good news that “He is risen!”
O Lord, fill me with your resurrection power.
Pastor Neil (Pastor Gwen too!)
A Word from the Pastors.
The unsettledness and loss of COVID-19 continue. Each of us is trying to deal with something that none of us – including the old ones – has ever encountered before. We pray for good health for each and for all… for good coping skills and patience… and for a timely end to this worldwide crisis. We are grateful for the ways that St. Peter’s folk are staying in contact with each other, participating in online Christian opportunities, encouraging and praying for and reaching out in other loving ways to one another and to others. And we are thinking about those in our country and in our world who do not have the same resources at hand, those who have lost loved ones, and those who are very much “on the battlefield” in the midst of this crisis.
This Holy Week, we have not scheduled a Maundy Thursday worship, a Good Friday worship, or an Easter Sunrise worship. But on April 12 at 10:00AM we will have our Easter Sunday Zoom worship. This will be our third Sunday of gathering together for worship from scattered locations. Like many churches in our nation and all over the face of this earth who are trying to find alternative ways to celebrate the new life that is being shaped by the good news of Jesus Christ crucified and now risen among us, we are media rookies and still learning. On the first two Sundays of Zoom we had 49 households and then 65 households. Although some churches are planning to still gather physically together to worship – faithfully? defiantly? foolishly? – we believe that meeting remotely is the better way. God has given his human creatures common sense. And we have also have city orders, state orders, national guidelines, and Evangelical Lutheran Church in America guidelines. Because of social distancing, it is not possible to hold large or even small gatherings this year.
The Easter Sunday morning worship tradition for some people has often included “dressing up”, be it an entire outfit, new shoes, a necktie, a purse, or a hat. This Sunday Pastor Gwen and Pastor Neil are inviting all those who are going to be present at our Zoom online worship visually (so that we can see you and you can see us) to wear an EASTER HAT. It can be a nice hat that you might have actually worn to a physical worship service… or a goofy, funny, silly hat… or any hat. Either right before worship or after, maybe we can check out each other’s hat.
Other news? Our building is still empty and quiet. Outside, every day, there is a long line of cars in line for coronavirus testing in the Rite Aid parking lot down the street … from our corner to the actual test is about a four-hour journey. This past week, we turned down a funeral rental request that would have numbered about 50 friends and family. We’re not sure when our various food distributions will resume, but we should certainly remember the hungry and the poor with our concern, our compassion, and our generosity. The scotch-taped poster board words “GRACE” and “FORGIVENESS” that I mentioned several weeks ago (from the First Sunday in Lent) continue to hang on the sanctuary wall… but the words “TEMPTATION” and “SIN” just couldn’t stick to our wall and – hopefully – our lives. Offerings in support of the work of Christ that happens at and beyond St. Peter’s have been coming in by mail or online, and we are so grateful for those who have been blessed by God and are able to give. Currently, we are about $4,500 behind our 2020 Budget income plan, but we are also saving some on heating costs, water, and electric. By God’s grace, EASTER will be more than a story repeated in our worship service… it will be our personal and our corporate experience through sorrow and shadows and sin and struggle. GOD HAS GIVEN US LIFE IN THE RESURRECTION OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST! Be healthy and hopeful.
Pastor Neil & Pastor Gwen
Thanks Pastor Gwen and Neil for the message. At the trying uncertain time it is wonderful to know that your words are uplifting . I can’t thank you both enough for all you do and continue to do in the lives of St Peters members.
Stay safe and may God continue to bless you both.