04-06-21

ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHING
April 6, 2021
Scripture: Matthew 28:6
He is not here. He was raised, just as he said. Come and look at the place where he was placed.

Thought for the Day: As you know, Sunday was Easter. We were in the Centrum for Worship. The sound system was not finished and there was no carpeting. We could not use the vineyards because we do not yet have railings. The center section of seating was out because they will still need to bring back in the lift for the speakers. And then I wore a brand new Easter mask that I had not tried before Sunday, and it would not stay up. I was on a corded microphone which I have not used in probably 20 years. There were a number of other unknowns that caused some anxiousness. Yet with all that said, it did not change the truth of the Easter message. The Good News of Christ’s resurrection is not impacted by a lack of carpeting, a minister bugged by a sliding mask or the occasional problem with the corded microphone. The verb for ‘raised’ in the original Greek of Matthew’s Gospel is passive to indicate how God did the raising. Even Jesus was not in control. This is an important reminder to us all that it is Good News in spite of anything we might do or fail to do. It is Good News whether worship is a little different than the pre-pandemic worship. It is Good News whether or not we recognize all the songs. It is Good News even if we take our communion outside. There were so many good things about Sunday, and though I will need to reflect on it a bit more, my greatest take away might be the power of new life to break through all the little stuff that some might have used to downplay the experience. God wins again!

Prayer: With gratitude in our hearts, O Lord, we praise you for the way your gifts of life and love always find a way. Amen.

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