What to Say?

This Sunday marks a special day: Easter. More than Cadbury Cream Eggs or Chocolate Bunnies, Easter is the day the Church celebrates Christ's resurrection from the grave. And while Christmas is the day most of us get more excited about, what Easter commemorates is truly what separates Christianity from any other religion.

Easter Sunday also happens to be the day that church buildings are most packed. Attending an Easter service is as expected as watching the Super Bowl - while few people watch every football game during the season, just about everyone will sit down for the end-of-year extravaganza.

This leaves pastors with the tough decision of what to preach. Now largely, the decision is made by the Christian calendar. The message will likely focus on the death, burial, and ascension. But there is a decision as to what kind of take-away to leave the audience with. After all, some of those in attendance will not hear another sermon for 365 days.

By the grace and omniscience of God, I do not pastor a church. And since I do not have the responsibility or pressure of making such a decision this week, I will forgo using this little platform to suggest which direction to go. I will, however, list several ideas for pastors to consider as they prepare for this Sunday's message. Although churches across the world have many different structures and will use different formats, they will all (in some way) present a gospel message. By now, most pastors have probably finished the major points of their sermons; but I hope these points will be considered as the finishing touches are added.

1. What does the resurrection of Christ communicate to the world?

2. What does the resurrection of Christ communicate to the Church?

3. How does the answer to question 1 differ from question 2, and how do they compliment each other?

4. What does the message from the resurrection of Christ do?

Here is what I believe on all 4 questions. The fact that God would send his Son to suffer and die for the world communicates that He values every person in the world. The resurrection displays the power that accompanies this value, proving that God is a loving God. To those of us who buy into this idea, I've said nothing ground-breaking. However, those who have seen the extreme poverty and government-imposed injustice of 3rd world countries, experienced harsh judgment from a church, or witnessed hypocrisy from those claiming to follow Christ, often have a hard time believing in a loving God. The resurrection serves as an explicit reminder of the existence of such a being.

For question number 2, I believe Christ's resurrection reminds the Church, his followers, that we will be raised from the dead with Him one day. This life, with all its pain, misery, discomfort, and even its joy, will not overcome our need for Him, nor will our imminent last breaths overshadow what He will do with and for us in the end.

For question 3, of course both answers revolve around Christ's doing. The power connected to God's value on the created human race is the same for those who are in Christ and those who observe from a distance. But I believe an important difference is that those who are not Christ-followers will not experience the love this power comes from without turning to it. Therefore, while an individual's response can neither create nor destroy God's power, the openness of the human heart and the willingness of the human mind to embrace this phenomenon is required to one day experience the resurrection of Christ.

As for question 4, a lot. If we focus on the semantic meaning of "resurrection", we find polar opposites represented. Christ was dead (and beginning to decay), and then He was alive. What does this mean for a heart as far away from God as possible? For the Satanic ritualist? The murderer? The rapist? The pornographer? The gossip? The liar? The adulterer? All of these are far from God, yet none of them are dead. What about the Muslim, Hindi, Sikh, Buddhist, Taoist, or Jew? What about the agnostic or athiest? All of these hold a view of a non-divine Jesus, yet none of these are in physical decay. Christ has already overcome much more, but we often look at these situations and people of such different beliefs as lost causes. The resurrection changed everything, and it continues to change how we view reality. Linguistically, we can understand what is meant by "resurrection." Spiritually we can experience it for ourselves. And physically, we believe that Christ truly overcame death and decay to make hope possible for the world.

For those who will teach the masses this weekend, consider these 4 questions. However you choose to do it, clearly communicate the message God gave the world.