Open your ears, heart to Easter story again

Published 9:00 am Friday, April 2, 2010

Every family has its stories. Like the families that tell them, they come in all shapes and sizes. They may be tales of surprises or disasters, or of colorful characters on the family tree. Some stories achieve special status because they are told and re-told whenever we get together with family and friends. These are the ones that weave together and truly shape our identity as individuals and as families.

For the global Christian family, this weekend is for storytelling as we proclaim once again “the old, old story of Jesus and his love.” Ours is a complex family story, filled with its own colorful characters, disasters and surprises. As we behold the crucified Christ today, on Good Friday, we are reminded that this is a story that comes at a price. But most of all it is a story about the revelation of God’s love and power, and how that power and love were able to transform the bleakness of Jesus’ death on the cross into a victory that brings new life and salvation in his name. This is the central story of our Christian faith. The Easter narrative shapes how we interpret every other story we encounter in scripture and in life.

I’d like to take it for granted that this story is well-known, both among those who believe in it, and among those who do not. But this may not be the case.

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In mid-March, a study exploring how Americans describe the meaning of Easter was published. The findings indicated “that most Americans consider Easter to be a religious holiday, but fewer identify the resurrection of Jesus as the underlying meaning.” Just two out of three Americans surveyed mentioned “some kind of theistic religious element,” meaning that they directly connected Easter with God. But only 42 percent of those surveyed said that “the meaning of Easter was the resurrection of Jesus or that it signifies Christ’s death and return to life.” A further 13 percent of those surveyed weren’t sure how to describe Easter at all. (The Barna Group, “Most Americans Consider Easter a Religious Holiday,” www.barna.org, March 15, 2010.)

Wherever you are this weekend, I encourage you to open your ears and your heart to hear the Easter story once again. Attend a Good Friday service today, and be reminded that this truly is a good day, for the cross is a symbol of Christ’s victory. And then listen again on Easter morning, and experience for yourself the joy of beholding the empty tomb and the resurrection of Jesus Christ. May this story take a hold of you and transform you. May it give you confident trust that Jesus died for you. And may hearing the old, old story proclaimed once again make you eager to share this story with those you love.