I had someone mention to me on Easter Sunday how much he enjoys Easter music and Easter cantatas. He ended the conversation by saying it is too bad we only get to sing resurrection songs once a year. Here is my proposal: then don’t just sing them once a year. In fact, we ought to be rejoicing in God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ, in these next several weeks.
All the hopes and expectations of Christians are realized in Christ’s resurrection. The good news of Easter cannot be contained or limited to a single day (Easter Sunday). This is why, according to the Christian Calendar, Easter is only the first of fifty days of celebration called “Eastertide” which leads up to the day of Pentecost. Eastertide is a season designed especially for exploring the new life we have in Jesus and the joyful Christian life we can all experience.
Spring is the time of year that can give shape to the rest of our seasons. Christ’s resurrection gives us a reason to rejoice; to hope; to persevere; to serve gladly, knowing that our labor in the Lord is not in vain. Easter is not over; it is just beginning. Throwing parties for Jesus is in order. Inviting friends and family into your home just to celebrate life in God will not only be fun, it will be biblical. Maybe some people outside the church look at Christians as uptight and repressed because we are not throwing the best parties and celebrations.
We have the highest reason possible to celebrate loudly with great passion and joy; to paint the town red; to whoop it up; to raise the roof; to splurge and be effusive with our worship; to hail King Jesus not just today but all through Eastertide because Christ is risen! He is risen, indeed!
Almighty God, who through your only-begotten son Jesus Christ overcame death and opened to us the gate of everlasting life: Thank you for giving me a reason to celebrate with joy my Lord’s resurrection. May I be raised from the death of sin by your life-giving Spirit and give the best party in the neighborhood; through Jesus Christ who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Rev. Tim Ehrhardt 