Yesterday was Palm Sunday, which ushers in Holy or Passion Week. Yet, the White House Coronavirus Task Force is warning us that this could be a grim and difficult week as we see a “peak” in Americans contracting and succumbing to Covid-19!
It was also a difficult and grim week for Jesus 2020 years ago when He would die a horrific death on a cross out of love for each of us.
But three days later, He arose! Hallelujah!
16 “For this is how God loved the world: He gave[a] his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. 17 God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him. John 3:16-17 NLT
I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. 4 He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said. 1 Cor. 15:3-4
A New Kind of Easter Celebration
Easter is going to be different this year, but I wonder if the meaning of Easter might be more real to us during the stay-at-home restrictions of this Covid-19 crisis. In the past, we might’ve been more concerned with what we were going to do after church rather than what we would do at church.
Typically, family’s discuss who is going to host Easter brunch or dinner or is the family going to fight the crowds trying to get a reservation to eat out. What do the kids want in their Easter baskets and what’s everyone going to wear. Sunrise service or spend the morning hunting Easter eggs and go to church later?
We attend a worship service hearing the traditional Easter message and then out the door on to the activities planned for the rest of the day. We felt spiritual and reverent while we were in church, but now let the fun begin!
Believe me I enjoy having fellowship and fun with our family and I will greatly miss them this year, but I also think quarantined at home, I’ll spend more of the day truly reflecting on the actual meaning and significance of Easter.
President Trump has said he would’ve loved for the pandemic self-distancing to be over and churches filled on Easter Sunday. “What a beautiful thing that would be,” he said. It would for sure since it would’ve taken a miracle for that to happen.
But could it be that God has a bigger miracle in mind for us?! We’ve been forcibly removed from outside distractions and given the opportunity to renew and refresh our faith and commitment to the Lord—individually, as a family, as a church, and as a nation.
Church is a building, but the risen Savior lives in every believer’s heart every moment of every day no matter where we are—in church or in our homes.
Easter commemorates the foundation of our Christian faith. The Gospel! The Good News! Without Easter, there would be no hope.
Easter is the reason we can repent and ask forgiveness for our sins. The assurance of eternal life. People need to hear that message and know salvation is available to everyone. They don’t need to live in fear of the Coronavirus or of death, because for all who believe in Him, Jesus conquered death when He went to the Cross.
Then, when our dying bodies have been transformed into bodies that will never die,[a] this Scripture will be fulfilled:
“Death is swallowed up in victory.[b]
55 O death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting? 1 Cor. 15:54-55 NLT
It’s our job as Christians to help others experience the love of Jesus for them. That could be the real miracle of this crisis.
Samaritan’s Purse has setup a temporary hospital in Italy and in New York’s Central Park to treat coronavirus patients. They openly say the volunteer doctors and nurses are there to save lives in the name of Jesus. The Mayor of New York City and others were skeptical and critical that not everyone would receive equal treatment! They needed to hear and understand that Jesus loved us enough to go to the cross while we were still sinners. Their concern underscores the misconception the world has of Jesus and believers.
As the Apostle Paul reminded the Corinthians, we need to share with the world:
Let me now remind you, dear brothers and sisters of the Good News I preached to you before. You welcomed it then, and you still stand firm in it. It is this Good News that saves you if you continue to believe the message I told you—unless, of course, you believed something that was never true in the first place.
I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said.—1 Corinthians 15:1-4
9 But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts. 1 John 1:9-10 NLT
Jesus lives within the heart of every Christian and He wants us to live as if we believe it, no matter what the circumstances!
So don’t let anyone tell you that Easter is cancelled this year. Easter, the commemoration of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ to offer every sinner forgiveness and eternal life, is NOT cancelled. Jesus cancelled our debt but no one can cancel Him. He is the same today, tomorrow, and yesterday.
What is happening in our world doesn’t affect Jesus. He only cares about what is happening in our heart!
I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.—Ezekiel 36:26
What should we do this Holy Week to prepare our hearts for an Easter celebration like none we’ve ever had before?!
1. Fill your mind with words from the Lord and not from the media.
Let’s take a break from the media that wants to scare and alarm us and focus our minds on the reason our Lord and Savior went to the cross—to offer us eternal life regardless of what happens in this life. No one wants to die, but if Jesus is in our heart, we have the assurance that we will be alive with Jesus for eternity. That should calm our hearts.
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.—Romans 12:2
I heard Pastor Greg Laurie say in his Palm Sunday message, “There are five gospels . . . you’re the 5th! You are the temple of God.” Read the four Gospels, Mathew, Mark, Luke, and John. Get to know Jesus up close and personal. Walk with Him in His shoes; listen to His words and stories.
- What was He trying to get people to understand?
- What does He want you to understand?
- Look for His personal message to you in your generation.
- What would He be doing during this pandemic?
- What does He want you to do during this crisis?
If you were giving the sermon this Easter, what would you include?
2. Tell people what Jesus means to you. Why you love Him. That even while you were a sinner, He still loved you enough to die for you!
Our church has a Cowboy Breakfast for the community on Easter Sunday, which we’ll all sorely miss this year. It was my privilege to share the gospel message one year, with my granddaughter reciting John 3:16. Other years, members of our church shared their testimony with their friends and neighbors who attend the breakfast. My husband also shared his testimony.
When is the last time you told someone your testimony of surrendering your life to Christ? It’s hands down the most important and meaningful day in your life. Yes, it’s greater than the day you married, gave birth, bought your dream house, or signed that important contract. Your rebirth in Christ should top them all!
And yet, we eagerly tell the story of these less significant events in our life, but often are reticent to tell the story of Jesus coming into our life.
We know He is with us every day, but do we give Him the credit and the glory for the things we know He has done and is doing in our life?
This week ask yourself why you don’t talk more about Jesus!
Then share your story with someone! Reflect back on the day the death and resurrection of Jesus really meant something to you. Tell people why it still does.
There is no greater witness to God’s goodness than sharing what he has done in your life. No one can question your testimony because it’s your personal experience.
Your story becomes your testimony when the focus is on God, not on you.
Your testimony simply shares your life before Jesus. How he changed your heart and spiritually, maybe literally, saved your life.
God has given you a story to share, so seize every opportunity to tell it.
Sometimes God redeems your testimony by surrounding you with people who need to hear your past so it doesn’t become their future.
Who needs to hear this Easter what Christ has done for you and could do for them?
At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.—Titus 3:3-7
And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.—1 John 5:11-12
“Let’s use this time to reflect on our own relationship to God. And Pray. Pray for the medical workers, they’re really warriors. Pray for the families who have lost loved ones and ask God to comfort them in their grief.” President Donald J Trump
“Pray for God to protect us and release us from this plague. Pray for the patients. There is sin in the world. Ask for God’s forgiveness not to condemn but to save a fallen world.” Franklin Graham
I look forward to hearing how this Easter was your best Easter ever!
You might also enjoy an article I wrote for Crosswalk, 5 Refreshing Ways to Welcome Renewal Beyond Easter.
Have a blessed Easter the way the Lord leads you to celebrate this glorious day!
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