Is Easter a hindrance to celebrating the Resurrection of Christ? This seems to be a silly question to many but I am serious, does it pigeon-hole the Resurrection much as Christmas pigeon-holes the Incarnation of Christ. As a pastor, I get the funniest looks when I want to sing "Joy to the World" in July or "Up from the Grave, He Arose" in September.
My thoughts are these: Is the incarnation only of value at Christmas? Is the resurrection only of value at Easter? Obviously the answer is no! The Resurrection is of significance in the everyday life of a Christian just as the Incarnation is as well.
Paul thought it should be, he wrote:
"that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death," Philippians 3:10
The resurrection was not just an event or happening, it was significant to the life of all Christian, power for salvation is found in the resurrection. Surely this should be emphasis each week.
Should we then not celebrate Christmas and Easter? I think that this is not the answer, Dr. Morton Smith reminded us in Seminary that the whole world recognizes these times of the year. The Islamic forces that held our hostages in Iran would let people in at Christmas and Easter. The Late Dr. Frank Kik talked about how silly his father looked preaching on the Flood from Genesis on a Sunday Christmas morning.
The answer is not to do away with Christmas and Easter. What is needed is the message of Christmas and Easter needs to spill over into every season and ever Sunday of the year. Each Lord's day we gather to worship God through the power of the one that became man at Christmas that he might die on a Cross and arise from the dead at Easter. Christians, this Christ did for you and me! Let us praise God for the incarnation and the resurrection everyday!
So let us sing "Joy to the World" in July and Up from the Grave, He Arose" in October. For they are just as true and just as appropriate.
No comments:
Post a Comment