“He is risen.” “He is risen indeed!” Such was the Easter greeting in the early church as they gathered in celebration on Resurrection Sunday. We know that every Sunday is a celebration of the fact that Christ lives. We refer to Sunday as “The Lord’s Day” in recognition that that day changed everything. Think of all that had happened during that week. A joyful welcome; a shocking act of cleansing in the temple; Jesus’ wisdom silencing the religious scholars; His authority in announcing judgment on Jerusalem and a religious system that moved from life to lifeless ritual; the love of the Christ; the betrayal of Judas; the weakness of Peter; the compassion of the Savior; the horror of the cross; the wonder of the resurrection. It was quite a week.
Sunday people will gather in country chapels and grand cathedrals to worship the risen Christ. The faithful will gather along with the “not so faithful” to sing and tell the old, old story. Pews will be full, the singing will be robust but how many will truly understand the wonder of which they sing? How many will leave the service feeling good about their pilgrimage and the homage paid to the lamb slain but leave having moved no closer to the One who gave His all for them? I can think of nothing more tragic that the empty worship of the Lamb of God. I can think of nothing more heart-rending that to sing the songs, hear the story and not understand it was for you He died. I hope and pray we have a “full house” Sunday. But more than that – I pray that when we gather we will see the Lamb slain for our sin. The Savior raised for our justification. And that we would stand in awe and wonder of the Christ who died and rose again to give us life.
I’ll see you Sunday.
Rod