Easter is a great day! It's the second most popular day in the church year, judging by attendance, and what a celebration it is! Women and girls wear their finest Easter dresses and bonnets, men might even wear a tie--or for those really trying to impress--a whole suit! Children arrive all fired up--not because of the resurrection of Jesus, but because of the sugar high they are riding after devouring generous gobs of chocolate they found in their Easter baskets!
Indeed it is a great day, but I feel sorry for those who miss the whole story. It's great to celebrate the risen Savior, but what does it truly mean if we don't remember his last meal, his last words, his brutal crucifixion. We couldn't have Easter Sunday without Maundy Thursday or Good Friday. And yet despite this, churches across the United States continue to see a decline in attendance during Holy Week. And that's a real shame.
Without coming face to face with our sin that put Jesus on the cross, it's hard to imagine why we need a Savior. Now I know in this politically correct age that we aren't supposed to ever feel bad about ourselves, let alone come together to face it with our brothers and sisters. But this is exactly what we need to realize this week: We need a Savior.
Somewhere along the line we started to believe that being happy was really the goal of life. And while our happiness is important, how do we ever strengthen our faith if everything is "fine"? What if we actually let ourselves feel all our emotions, the good and the bad. Only in that kind of honesty can we find deeper relationship with God and with each other.
So I know that Maundy Thursday and Good Friday aren't the most exciting and thrilling of all days in the church year. But these days are of absolute importance in knowing who we are in Christ Jesus. You see, the Easter promise actually begins unfolding when Jesus dies. Only in this most selfless act can we see just how much God loves us. Only when we approach the cross ourselves on Good Friday can we see the nails on the cross that remind us of the pain Jesus willingly endured so that we wouldn't have to.
I know the excuses: life is busy; it's impossible to attend worship more than once per week. But what about this week, when we remember everything Christ endured for us so that we might be saved from the wrath that we should receive? How better to prepare for Jesus'-and therefore our-victory over the grave?
Even if you don't worship during this Holy Week, it's important that you at least take time to thank God for sending God's Son to take your place on the cross. Because if we forget that then we miss the entire blessing that is Easter. Spend some time with God this week; God is more than ready to spend time with you!
God be with you. Always!
