It
won’t be long now. Just a few more days, and it’s the most holy time of the
Christian year – the week of Jesus’s passion. We remember his triumphal entry
into Jerusalem, ponder over his final public teachings, share in a holy meal.
We’ll betray him, deny we even knew him, abandon him when he is arrested, but
we can’t stay away. We’ll witness his trial, follow him to Calvary, watch as
the nails are driven in. We’ll mourn as the stone is rolled over the entrance of
the tomb we laid him in. And we’ll huddle confused, broken, afraid as we wait
for Easter.
For Easter IS coming!
We
do this every year, this journey into death and the grave. We do this because
we know Easter is coming. Easter Is
Coming! Every day, resurrection happens. Every day, new life bursts forth
from death. Every day God says “No” to sin, “No” to death, “NO” to the power of
evil in this world! Easter is coming!
I’m
reminded of the House Stark motto in the book “Game of Thrones” –Winter is
coming! In their world, winter isn’t just a season of the year, it’s a period
of years when cold winds howl, deep snow covers the ground, life perishes. The
Starks are always prepared for the worst: Winter is coming! It seems like the world around us has adopted
this motto – “Winter is coming” – terrible things are happening and it won’t
get better, so better prepare for the worst.
In
contrast, the House Christian proclaims “Easter Is Coming!” Yes, the forces of
evil still rage. Completely defeated by the cross and the empty tomb, they
haven’t given up. But it’s a losing battle. It’s a lost battle. Christ is
risen! Christ reigns! God’s kingdom has come! We testify to both the brokenness
in the world and to God’s presence in those broken places. Easter is Coming! Christ
has died! Christ has risen! Christ will come again! And again, and again – to
each of us, to the world, coming in love, in mercy, in grace. Coming to those
places where the shadow of the cross looms large, walking with us through the
valley of the shadow of death - never abandoning, denying or betraying us. Shedding
light on our confusion, calming our fears, making us whole again. Easter is
Coming!
It
won’t be long now. A few days and we’ll shout “Hosanna”, “Crucify”, “He is
Risen!” A few days and we will once again marvel at God’s amazing love and
grace poured out through Christ for us. Easter is Coming!
I can't say "Easter is coming!" without linking you to this great video by WorkingPreacher