Yesterday Was Easter Sunday. Church buildings were filled–celebration, victory, joy, hope. But for many, after hopeful Sunday comes the return of a reality less hopeful, even hopeless!
Sermons are heard on Sunday but are intended to make a difference in our lives and in our world Monday through Saturday. Sermons must touch daily life. Ideally, an “Easter sermon” is not only for Easter Sunday but also for the days that follow, because after “Hopeful Sunday” comes the reality of daily life. Easter focuses on an essential event in the Jesus’ story. Without the resurrection, the story of Jesus is meaningless. Easter celebrates resurrection and forgiveness. Easter celebrates changed lives, newness, hope. Here is hope for salvation; here is hope for our own resurrection. But in this singular focus of Easter, it is easy to miss the rest of the story….
The author of Hebrews describes Jesus as a high priest–both faithful and merciful. He is faithful high priest and able to make atonement because he is Son of God. He is merciful high priest who understands the weaknesses of the people because he is Son of Man. The Easter celebration of Jesus’ resurrection usually focuses on his faithfulness to save. But the resurrection is a powerful story that matters because of what comes before–Jesus came to earth as a human being. It is easy to overlook this part of the gospel: Jesus comes to be like us; he identifies with us; in his life, ministry, and death he experiences life as we experience it; he knows tears and pleading, prayer and suffering. He is merciful; he understands life; he knows what we need. In his resurrection, he shows us a possibility beyond our experience. He declares the possibility of eternal salvation; he also declares the possibility of new life in Christ in the here and now.
Beware the trap! On Sunday we see hope. On Monday we go back to fishing (John 20). Where is Jesus today? How often do we think of the resurrection story during the week? The resurrection is a story of hope for eternity, it is also a story of hope for today and tomorrow. Life here is not hopeless, empty, futile. Failures are not forever. The post-resurrection stories of Thomas and Peter impress us; the stories of nine other disciples are not told in the Gospels but would be equally impressive. Look to Jesus to throw off the weight. Look to Jesus to run the race. Look to Jesus to manage the turmoil of life, the conflicts, the sorrow, the times when you cannot see the future. The resurrection proclaims strength in a world that at times overwhelms us. Jesus’ resurrection declares his daily presence in our lives and his intercession for us before the Father’s throne. And that is not a story only for Sunday–that is a story for every day of our lives!