EASTER REALITY THIS YEAR: SOME BORROWED THOUGHTS

Easter Sunday is almost here, but many of us have been thinking about it for several weeks. This morning I reviewed some of the articles I have read during this time and thought some who read my blog may be interested in reading them.

Looking back over these selections, I was drawn to them again as I was originally by their titles. It was the titles that got my attention because each one was so powerful that by itself it said so much.

Below are four of the titles with minimal commentary by me and the link to the article for those who might like to read more. If you don’t have the time or interest to read them, I think the titles alone will stimulate your thinking.

 

Have Yourself a Bittersweet Easter by Todd Hunter (March 31, 2020)

Bittersweet, of course, is the basic point and describes what we’re feeling as we come to the greatest day of celebration in the Christian year. Hunter says what’s true when he reminds us “a normal Easter is out of reach this year.” We rejoice that Jesus rose from the dead. But our world is shaken by the COVID – 19 impact with so many forced changes in our lives as well as victims of the virus. Hunter notes, “This year we celebrate in the context of deep lament.”  https://www.christianitytoday.com/pastors/2020/march-web-exclusives/bittersweet-easter-holy-week-coronavirus.html

 

An Easter without Going to Church – The pandemic has laid an egg on our worship. By Daniel Harrell (March 25, 2020)

Harrell refers to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s guidelines and rightly reminds us “Easter worship as we’ve known it is doomed.” However, he quotes another writer’s statement of truth, “The church remains the church whether gathered or scattered.” And then he adds, “The church remains the church online, too.”  https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2020/march-web-only/easter-without-church-covid-19-coronavirus.html?utm_source=connection-html&utm_medium=Newsletter&utm_term=25166636&utm_content=705070787&utm_campaign=email

 

Not Even the Gates of a Hellish Pandemic Will Prevail over God’s Church (April 6, 2020) by Esau McCaulley

“The somber season of Lent seems perfectly suited to the moment. This is a time of national lament. But as we turn the corner for Easter, dare we say more?”

“If the prophets of the Old Testament have anything to teach us, it’s that precisely in the darkest moments of our history, we need divinely inspired and freshly articulated hope.”

“I don’t know what the future of Christianity holds in the weeks and months to come. I do know, however, that the church will not be overcome by a virus. I know this is not the end, and I know that we will in fact worship together again.”                                                                                                                       https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2020/april-web-only/easter-coronavirus-covid-19-not-even-gates-hellish-pandemic.html

 

The Resurrection Has Not Been Canceled by Timothy Dalrymple (April 8, 2020)

This just came today and sparked the idea for this post. Don’t you love the title?

“Church doors are closed. Schools are no longer meeting. Businesses are shuttered. Restaurants and cafés are empty, cinema screens are dark, and concert halls are silent. Countless meetings and gatherings, weddings and funerals, conferences and events have been canceled.

The resurrection is not canceled. God is always in the business of bringing life out of death. Jesus emerged from the tomb so that we can do the same—on Easter and every other day. There is nothing in all the world that could have stopped the resurrection of Jesus Christ two thousand years ago, and there is nothing that can stop it today.” https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2020/april-web-only/coronavirus-easter-resurrection-not-canceled.html?utm_source=ctdirect-html&utm_medium=Newsletter&utm_term=15819991&utm_content=706425458&utm_campaign=email

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