Easter: Wednesday, March 26, 2008

Old Testament Lesson

Exodus 12:40-51

We see the openness and acceptance of God in this passage. If someone wants to observe the Passover, all they have to do is follow the certain steps listed, and they are welcomed, and considered of their own. We see that God is always calling more and more folks to follow Him. He's always casting wide the doors to everyone and saying, come on in. He's always imploring more and more folks to follow.

And that is part of our job. We are called to throw wide open those doors and tell the world, there is a God that loves you and wants to know you. Come follow me, and I will show you.

New Testament Lesson

1 Corinthians 15:29-41

Just like in our day, there were folks that were curious, how is this all going to shake out in the end? What will happen when the Lord returns? What will our bodies be like? What will heaven be like? What happens to the folks that are already dead.

Paul, on one hand, assures us that God will take care of everything. Everything will be done according to His plan and according to His way. We don't have worry about all these things. In the end, God will work everything out as it should be. But, also notice, Paul doesn't explain everything either.

There is a mystery to God. There is a mystery to faith. There are just some things we'll never know. We'll just have to take those on faith, trusting in God. We know He will work it all out. We'll trust Him with the details.

Gospel Lesson

Matthew 28:1-16

I just love in Matthew's account how the angel just sits on the stone. My son Thomas, who is actually 17 months old today, when he does something that he is either proud of, or does something he know he shouldn't do, will look at you smile with a look of, see what I've done?

I can almost picture the angel kind of smiling, saying, look what God has done! That's also the smile we should have one our face. Look what God has done, in the life of our church, our family, our own lives. We should always have that smile, if not on our face, then close at hand, to say, look what God has done!