April Fools
I don't know about you, but growing up, April Fool's Day was one of my favorite days of the year. My sister and I would do the "put sugar in the salt shaker" trick (for my dad's morning eggs) and the "salt in the sugar bowl" trick (for his coffee) and one of our favorites was putting a Lincoln Log in his hot dog bun. The best part of it all was that my dad fell for it EVERY YEAR! I often wondered why he never suspected why EVERY April 1st we had hot dogs for dinner, but then at that age I still believed in the Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy.
This April we have another kind of April Fool's trick. Friday, April 9th, is Good Friday, where we commemorate Christ's death on the Cross. But on Easter Sunday we celebrate that he is not really dead, but alive. Ok, I admit the analogy is kind of a stretch. Jesus really did die … but the remarkable thing is that three days later that wasn't true anymore. It wasn't a trick - but it should put a smile on your face and make it one of your favorite days of the year.
I know a number of you have probably seen Mel Gibson's "Passion of Christ." I'll confess I didn't really want to see the movie, but felt it was my "professional" duty to do so. So I did. For those of you yet to see it, be forewarned: it is not for the faint of heart. The blood and the violence and the torture portrayed turned my stomach. It certainly gives you a graphic picture of how much Jesus must of suffered. And I guess it might help you realize just how much Jesus went through for us. I just felt it went over the edge. My other complaint is at the end (and I don't think I'm ruining the story by tell you this) the resurrection lasts for all of about 10 seconds, if that.
Now I know that the purpose of the film was to dramatize Christ's Passion, not celebrate his resurrection, but that is kind of like leaving out the "April Fool's" shout we used to do as kids when my dad would take a bite out of his eggs salted with sugar, drink his coffee sugared with salt, and then later that evening take a bite out his Lincoln Log hot dog. When the shouting was over, we would all smile and laugh.
Yes, we need to take seriously Jesus' death on the cross. Yes, we need to remember the terrible price he paid for all of us. But if we leave it at that, it is all for naught. There is laughter and smiles and hallelujahs to be had on Easter Sunday.
Jesus didn't rot in the grave. He lives again so that you and I can, too. Death doesn't have the last word anymore. Jesus does. And it is that he loves you, enough not only to die for you, but to live again for you, too.
May you each have a wonderful April, acknowledging Jesus' sacrifice for us, but also celebrating his marvelous and awesome gift of eternal life for us. We are a resurrection people.
Be blessed my friends, and I'll see you on Sunday. And maybe even on Maundy Thursday (April 8th, 7:30 p.m.) and Good Friday (April 9th, 7:30 p.m.)
Pastor Tom |
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