From the Pastor's Desk
Reverend David Kaul
The three days - foot washing, the cross, resurrection and egg salad!
“
I am the bread of life
”
currently unused
With Wednesday nightfall our Lenten observance comes to an end as we join Christians from around the world to observe the three holiest days of the church calendar, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter. At the heart of Maundy Thursday is Jesus' washing the feet of the disciples, the celebration of the sacrament, and his commandment to love one another. Every family in attendance will receive a loaf of bread. Good Friday is somber as we look at Jesus on the cross. He is suffering and dying for your sins and mine. Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ" interpreted the cross as Jesus' sacrifice in all of it's gory detail. We will leave more to the imagination as the sanctuary darkens and read Jesus' last words. In quiet contemplation we exit recalling Jesus' promise that he would rise again! Easter's empty tomb holds the answer to the hushed identity of the rejected and crucified Jesus. For God raises His only Son from the dead. On Sunday morning women who saw where Jesus was buried now come to anoint his dead body. They encounter angels who proclaim that God has raised His only Son. What a frightening discovery for those who plotted against him and crucified God's Messiah. How dreadful for Satan who put everything he had into defeating God by killing his son! Death was reduced to a mockery. It's power to hold it's next victim in an icy grip is broken. How shaming for those who doubted. How rich the blessing for those who believe. God will speak the last word and it is a word of hope and life. He raises his Son from the dead! Christ is risen! The universe is changed! Jesus in all of his beauty, joy, and love is your future.
This Easter, like the first disciples, you are invited to hear the voice of the risen Jesus in preached word. Like Thomas, you are invited to touch him in Holy Communion. Like Mary who comes to the disciples on Easter and proclaims, "I have seen the Lord", you are invited to experience the living presence of our God. May you believe that Jesus is God's Son and that God has raised him from the dead. His gift is new life to all who believe! My prayer this Easter is that each of you will encounter the living God and experience new life in his name!
On a lighter note, I don't understand why everyone comes to worship on Easter and the Sunday after Easter is a dud!
Is it - Worship is so long on Easter that you feel that you've gone to church twice!
- Like Barney Fife of Mayberry - the minister shot his one bullet - preached his one good sermon for the year.
- Easter worship is so exciting with great music and preaching that you know the next Sunday won't come close to equaling the thrill!
- Are we basically lazy and want to attend church with pastor pillow.
- Is it a nasty tradition - people just take the Sunday off and go out for brunch.
- Is everyone having a food hang over from eating too much Easter brunch and candy.
- Did you all get lost trying to find your Easter basket and on the egg hunt.
- Did the cholesterol in the ham and eggs on Easter cause your mind to go blank so you forget the location of Our Savior's, 2465 West Sandwich Road.
Let's make the Sunday after Easter just as much fun as Easter by getting together after 9:30 worship to eat ham salad and egg salad sandwiches on rye!
God bless,
P. Dave