Easter Eternal

As I write this, I am just a few days past Easter Sunday. I am still feeling the glow and joy of a glorious Easter day. To me, Easter Sunday is just a small glimpse of what heaven will be like.

Easter Sunday began in our family traditional way. We were awakened by the sound of our youngest daughter playing on the piano and singing the joyful “Easter Song”. The message of the song goes like this: “Hear the bells ringing, they’re singing , ‘Christ is risen from the dead!’” Of course our response is,

“He is risen indeed!”. It was a wonderful way to be awakened, just a small sampling of what it will be like when we are awakened from death and in Christ’s presence.

The Easter church service was full of our Lord’s presence. The empty cross was brought into the church in triumph and glory. The choir sounded like choirs of angles singing their praises to the risen Lord. The brass announced his Holy presence with great salutation! In the presence of loved ones and surrounded by the Saints who have gone before was a true taste of of heaven.

Through God’s Word, we were reminded by Paul ( l Corinthians 15:3-4) that Easter is of “first importance”. If Christ had not arisen, our hope would be still locked in the tomb.

Because He is risen, just as He said, we have hope of our own resurrection from the dead and look forward to the life everlasting, which death cannot touch. On Easter we came together not simply to remember an event but to rejoice in the future made possible for us because of what happened. Before the world we confess that Jesus’ resurrection is not a hope but a certainty! On that fact God has built a future for us…one we anticipate now even as we wait to see it fulfilled!

When Jesus cried out “It is finished” on the cross, He was saying He had successfully completed the work He came to do. However, it was just the beginning for His disciples to tell others what he had done. So it is with us, as his followers. Even though, when you read this, we will already have observed the first Sunday after Easter, we must hold Easter in our hearts and be eager to share our Resurrected Lord’s love and His Word. Let us tell the people that He is Lord and always with us. Even though we can’t see Him, He can see us and He stays right by us, loving us, guiding us and taking care of us. He promises to never leave us!

The Lord is risen indeed!!

Jan Knicely, Associate in Ministry Emeritus

Holy Trinity Lutheran Church