A lot of the congregation will dress up for Easter. One way to celebrate that day is to provide a picture spot. This can be outside on a sunny day. Or it could be in the narthex. All you need is a backdrop that says “Today is Easter Sunday.” People will take pictures of their family.

You could also provide someone with a camera, but then you have to distribute the pictures. This should be a free service for the congregation (there are plenty of commercial opportunities available.)

As we celebrate Easter, we make memories and praise to the living Christ. May it be a source of joy for all who come.

This year many of us will be celebrating Easter At Home. That seems strange. We’re all used to great services on Easter, starting at Sunrise and extending throughout the day. Most Churches have multiple services on Easter to support the crowds. A lot of people attend worship on Easter out of respect for family tradition, as well as nourishing their faith.

The early Church didn’t have any large buildings. They always met in one another homes – i.e. often in secret. There was some fear, that they might be found out. The early Christians faced persecution as their largest fear. Today, in most places, we don’t have to worry about persecution. But this year we are faced with the fear of disease. Let us return to meeting in our Homes as a way of celebrating Easter like the early Church. As you gather together, you might reflect on Easter memories and just what Easter means.

Remember that the tomb where they laid Jesus’ body was a borrowed one. Specifically, it was the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea, who had obviously come to believe in Jesus. He provided his own tomb, which was available. Have you ever wondered about this tomb? What was the technology involved; we might call it primitive. First, the tomb was cut out of solid rock. And a large stone was rolled into place against the tomb – no doubt to keep the animals out. It thus took a lot of wealth to prepare a tomb like this. Evidently, Joseph was a wealthy man.

To make the tomb even more secure, Pilate in Mat 27:65 orders that the tomb be sealed with his seal, and a squad of soldiers went along to stand watch. This seal would indicate that the tomb was not to be tampered with, under penalty of Roman law.

To my thinking, this makes the Resurrection all the more spectacular. The disciples, fragmented and afraid for their lives, could never attack a Roman guard. And the women knew that they could never roll the stone away to get to the body of Jesus. Only God’s power could freeze the guard, roll away the stone, and resurrect the physical body of Jesus! That is the miracle of Easter. And I marvel at how God must have accomplished that!

Easter is really a Miracle. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is an incredible event. When it happened 2,000 years ago, it was unheard of. Today, even with the best of medical science, it can not be duplicated. It surely is a miracle that Jesus was resurrected from the dead.

Why did God do it? To prove to us that He had the power! And that power is what saves our souls. Had Jesus not been raised, His message would have just died with Him. Yet, because He was raised, His Gospel message continues to spread all over the world! Thanks be to God. Christ is Risen!

At Easter time, we look for ways to reenact the Passion of Christ. In so doing, we gain new appreciation for the Way of the Cross. Jesus walked that way, knowing full well that death waited for Him at the end of it. And more excruciating still, He knew that one of His own, Judas Iscariot, would betray Him.

Bringing the Crucifixion to life has been the subject of many movies. The sophistication of computer graphics can take us there – at least visually. But some would raise a concern about the gory nature of the crucifixion. After all, the Romans perfected the art of brutal torture and death. The barbarity of the cross is incredible. How far should the Church go in showing the gory parts of the Crucifixion? To a culture that is in many ways innoculated against violence, this may not seem like much. But to those who are trying to stem the tide of violence in our culture, it may be a big deal. We need to approach the subject of Good Friday with sensitive hearts and open minds.

It is Easter! On this day, the celebration of the Resurrection takes on new meaning, as we gather in our churches to worship. May you be blessed as you worship the Risen Lord today!

His eyes Did open again!

Bradley@Roberts.net