The Pew didn’t Stink….Did that get your attention? It’s all about the tease
It’s Easter Sunday and there I sit in a pew, in the back row of Springfield’s First Baptist Church. My plan for Easter didn’t include an Easter Sunrise Service but the ad in yesterday’s paper caught my eye.
Earlier this morning, my eye’s opened to see the red numbers 6:45 staring at me from my alarm clock. As I lie there asking the usual questions of God, I hear Him whisper: “ go to church.”
To some of you “go to church” is a sentence you hear God say to you often. But He hasn’t said those words to me in a long time. Several years ago, we were called into a new season with God that did not include going to what we are, the church. (A building) So, finding myself with a bulletin in my hand, quietly waiting for the service to start, felt awkward at best.
On this morning, a cross, draped in white cloth, its base surrounded with Easter Lilly’s, is more than decoration. It’s symbolic of everything I cling to. On this morning I’m drawn to it more than usual.
As songs find their way from my head, to my heart, air passing over my larynx and finally resting in my ears, memories flood my mind, releasing themselves as tears. A ten-year-old boy, buried deep inside reminds me of the times we celebrated Easter at the Stollers house when we were young. He remembers his mother singing “He Arose” while accompanying herself on the piano in the living room on 24th street.
Back in the pew in Springfield, the pastor talks of transitions. She points out how we as followers of Christ tend to focus more on the Last Supper and even more on the Risen Savior. We try to avoid the death process it takes to get there. No one wants to die on a cross.
In her words I hear myself. Life is not easy right now. The journey for freedom is littered with land mines and large rocks designed to trip the traveler and cause you to fall. When navigating rough waters becomes too difficult, I too find myself wishing for this part to be over. I want to climb down off the cross and get to Easter Dinner.
God is often easiest to see in the darkest place but you have to take time to look, rather than wait for the light to come on. There is no short cut to a life of faith. There is no easy way to get to Easter Sunday. God, show me how to live in the process and not try to hold my breath, waiting for a happy ending.
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Maybe you should be writing sermons…to the regular folks, The ones that don’t do the “building thing”, Hey I am listening!
Happy Easter Rick. He is risen, He is risen indeed.
You’re on to me. I believe the best sermons are not given in a church building but delivered in real life simply by sharing your life. But to do so means you must be willing to let people go with you and that means vulnerability.
That was the most difficult part of the political campaign. I had to be careful of what I said and I don’t do real well with that.
But freedom is costly. It means you have to give up comfort, stability and knowing your next step. I’m not good at it but God is getting me there……slowly.
The irony – Palm Sunday and Good Friday in the same Easter week. The day when the crowds greeted Jesus with “Hosannah!” and the day the crowds cried out “Crucify him!” all happened during the same week. (Okay, I admit it, a part of me hopes these were two different crowds and not actually the same people.)
Another interesting thing is that a recent study on the art in churches over the ages (which reflects how the people saw Jesus) shows that before the 10th-11th centuries, IF Jesus was shown with the cross, it was ALWAYS as a risen Christ and NEVER on the cross.
How did the early church picture Him? A risen Lord, the Good Shepherd, welcoming the children to come.
What does this say to me? It’s a reminder that while the suffering was a part of what Jesus was called to do, the thing He did that was the miracle was to rise from the dead and never rot in a grave!
He is risen! He is risen indeed!
Hi Rick, If you are around Eugene tommorro there is a trial (I think) you may be curious about at the courthouse. The kid who got Tasered is facing charges. He is someone I used to work in the same office with and does not seem like a aggressive character. The Taser use seems to have been excessive. I expect the charges against him are to shut him up and undermine any future lawsuit he may pursue. Just thought I would put it on the radar in case you are in the area. I am not sure about that date because as usual the mainstream media is busy goofing off. Have a good day.
More on the trial tommorro-9:30 am at circuit court(Lane County Courthouse). The video resume looks excellent. When you tell the truth it really shows through.