Easter Monday

Easter is a fifty-day long season, and today is the first Monday of Easter! That means you're allowed to continue greeting people with "Christ is risen!" for over a month, which is really a pretty nice way to say hello. It also means we continue to focus on the resurrection and its implications for many weeks, and even then, I occasionally wonder if we can fully grasp it.

As I said in both services yesterday, the resurrection of Jesus Christ changed everything. Our world hasn't been the same since. Yes, you see Christmas things and Easter things everywhere as Christians celebrate our holy days, but there are more consequences than just that. More than just the holiday celebrations, Christian systems are everywhere and in everything. The calendar is now organized around the life of Jesus. Even if you're an atheist, your world have been shaped by Christianity -- by those who believe in the resurrection. The Enlightenment couldn't have happened without Christian philosophers and theologians paving the way. The same goes for the Scientific Revolution. It's one of religion's grand ironies that modern atheism couldn't exist were it not for the thought systems created by Christians. Yes, Easter changes everything -- the way we live our lives in the here and now as much as our eternal destination for those who believe in its truth.

Sadly, many people follow the story of the chief priests in Matthew 28 -- they deny the resurrection, even with its evidence right in front of their eyes. During this Easter season, let's be more intentional about evangelism than ever before. Let's share our faith, tell others the truths of the birth, crucifixion, and resurrection of our Lord, with more people in more places. Let's help them come to a saving faith in Jesus. After all, Christ is risen! He is risen indeed!