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Word from the Pastor How
to Prepare for Easter Matthew
21:1-11 We all have different ways we
prepare for different things. But I want to talk about how to prepare for
Easter. Now, maybe you haven’t given that much thought. After all, we all lead
busy lives. we do a good job of preparing for Christmas. There are signs
everywhere that something special is going to happen. We hang wreaths, light
candles, trim the tree, wrap gifts, and string enough electrical lights all
around our houses to keep the man in the moon up at night. But Easter—what do you do?
If you’re a real fanatic you dye a few eggs and buy a new outfit and BAM!
You’re done. But to Christians, Easter is the most important day of the year.
. .or it should be. It’s the day we celebrate the central event of history,
the day Jesus rose from the dead in order to make eternal life possible for you,
and me. Of course, for centuries, Christians
have prepared for Easter by observing Lent, a period that begins on Ash
Wednesday and concludes with Easter. Traditionally, many people
prepare for Easter by making this a period of repentance, denying themselves a
particular pleasure, commodity, or convenience or taking on a new task of
service during this time. For example, a person might forgo one meal a day, or
do without meat on Fridays, or volunteer one day a week at a homeless shelter to
indicate their repentant spirit and prepare themselves in heart and mind for the
celebration of Resurrection Sunday! But we don’t do that much anymore, and I
think we’re worse off because of it. But that doesn’t mean it’s too late
for folk like you and me. There are ways you and I can
most effectively and meaningfully prepare for Easter. One of those ways is found
in the example of the disciples, and it’s this: Do what Jesus says (Matt.
21:2-3) Jesus sent two of his disciples on a strange mission to go to a village,
untie a donkey and bring it to him. Those disciples, whoever they were, did what
Jesus said. As individuals and as a church we don’t always understand what
Jesus is telling us to do. Sometimes His instructions seem contrary to our way
of thinking. However, if we want to be in the will of God and do the will of
God, we must listen to Jesus and do what he says. This week before Easter we can
do no better than to follow the example of those two disciples who--though they
had no way to know what the future would hold and what their actions would bring
about--they simply obeyed. Of course, I’m pretty sure your obedience won’t
involve a donkey . . . But only you and God know what it WILL involve. Only you
and God know what obedience he would require of you today, this week, this
Easter.
Is God calling you to repentance and faith in him? To make that decision
to follow Jesus? Is he telling you to forgive someone? . . . To help someone? .
. . To give something up?. . . To take something on?. . . To say yes to
something?. . . To say no to something?. . . I can’t tell you, but I can say
to you what his mother told the servants at the wedding in Cana (John 2):
whatever he says to you, do it. Pastor Celestyne
January 27 Sermon: “Get With It!” Text: John 15:1-17 Isaiah 9:1-4; Psalm 27:1, 4-9; 1 Corinthians 1:10-18; Matthew 4:12-23
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St. John's United Methodist Church - A Place to Believe....Belong....Become |
