Easter Devotional
Living as if Easter Really Matters
Reverend Ken Kramer,
St. John United Church of Christ

[April 10, 2017]  Okay, I get it - resurrections are scary! I mean, What do you do with someone who is supposed to be dead and you saw them die with your own eyes? Mary cried in fear in the garden, the Apostles hid in fear behind closed locked doors. Even when Jesus appeared to them, Thomas doubted that he was real.

This is a life changing event and it was difficult for those early Jesus believers to get a handle on how to go forward with a resurrected Lord. Jesus had to remind Peter three times to feed and take care of his sheep and give up fishing for good. He told all his disciples that they were to take the message to all the world, preaching, teaching and baptizing in His name. Then, Jesus told the disciples to go to Jerusalem and wait there for the Holy Spirit to empower them to know how to live and work without Him when He returned to heaven. In other words, the disciples had to figure out every day how to live as if Easter really matters.

Jesus is Alive. Now what do they say and do that shows the Risen Christ as a part of their lives?

Eventually, after the Pentecost experience, the disciples did come out of hiding and became bold with their proclamation of the Good News of Jesus Christ that says we can be forgiven of past sins and be saved by grace. The disciples did carry out Jesus' desire of his followers and they all, except John, died for their boldness of faith. They learned how to live as if Easter matters.

Now it is a different era of time and not too many Christians in America die for their faith, which is good, except because we are not threatened with the ultimate test. We tend to down play the importance of Easter in our lives. Easter has become for most people just a special Sunday in the spring when we come to church dressed in new clothes and then go home and visit with family around a tasty ham. We do not see Easter as the call of Christ to live a new life as He taught us, which means a daily walk of following Jesus' radical love and justice for all of God's people.

In the early church like the Apostles started, Easter was celebrated every Sunday. Worship was held on the first day of the week in honor of Christ’s Resurrection. Worship lasted all day and was only interrupted at noon when they say down for a common meal which has become modern day communion. They spent much time discussing how to live as Christ commanded. They lived as Easter mattered.

Do we live as if Easter matters? We live after the Resurrection and are known as the Easter People! Do we see ourselves as proclaimers of God's love for all people? Do we live our lives seeking justice for all of God's people? Are we examples of caring for the outcasts as Jesus did?

It is my hope that as we go through the Lenten season, we will grow in our understanding and live as Easter people. God gave us a great gift in Jesus Christ and Jesus gave us both salvation and eternal life through his death on the cross. All he asks of us is to take that gift and share it liberally with others. In other words, "Live as if Easter Matters"! It is a constant challenge, I know because I have to decide every day to live as if Easter matters to me as well.