Beyoond Easter

We are almost a week beyond Easter Sunday, Resurrection Day, and it was a glorious day. In many ways the Christian church lives for that high day each year. It is a reminder of why we do what we do, why we teach what we teach, why we believe what we believe. Christ is risen! I mentioned on Easter that several years ago I was in Moscow on their Easter. They celebrate the orthodox Easter along with the Russian Orthodox church. I was actually privileged to speak in a church on that Sunday, but the experience I remember most was not my preaching, but what I shared this past Sunday. I remember the enthusiasm and conviction with which the people responded to the pastor’s declaration “Christ is Risen!” with “He is risen indeed!” It was a tradition they had learned in the Russian Orthodox church but was more than tradition with them it was conviction.

I think of Mary who went to the tomb grieving and found it empty immediately assuming someone had taken the body of Jesus. She went and told the disciples who came to see. After they left she lingered and Jesus appeared to her. She ran back to the disciples and declared, “I have seen the Lord!” (John 20:18)

The name Nikolai Ivanovich Bukharin probably doesn’t ring a bell with most of us, unless you are a real history buff. During his day he was as powerful a man as there was on earth. A Russian Communist leader he took part in the Bolshevik Revolution 1917, was editor of the Soviet newspaper Pravda (which by the way means truth), and was a full member of the Politburo. His works on economics and political science are still read today. There is a story told about a journey he took from Moscow to Kiev in 1930 to address a huge assembly on the subject of atheism. Addressing the crowd he aimed his heavy artillery at Christianity hurling insult, argument, and proof against it.

An hour later he was finished. He looked out at what seemed to be the smoldering ashes of men's faith. "Are there any questions?" Bukharin demanded. Deafening silence filled the auditorium but then one man
approached the platform and mounted the lectern standing near the communist leader. He surveyed the crowd first to the left then to the right. Finally he shouted the ancient greeting known well in the Russian
Orthodox Church: "CHRIST IS RISEN!" En masse the crowd arose as one man and the response came crashing like the sound of thunder: "HE IS RISEN INDEED!"

He had just wasted an hour of his time and energy because he could not convince those who had met the Lord that He did not exist. He is alive... on Easter and every other day of our lives. So I hope that while Easter was great at LIFEchurch (and I am sure at your church wherever you worship), you will return this Sunday to declare again, “HE IS RISEN INDEED!” He lives for you today as you are faced with impossible situations, challenges beyond your wisdom, walls to high to see over or too wide to reach around. He lives... FOR YOU! Don’t give up or let go of your faith. It has lasted through the ages and survived the Bukharins and thousands of others who have tried to destroy faith by convincing that God doesn’t exist. This faith in Jesus is good for eternity.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, I don’t want to wait another year to really thank you for dying on the cross for my sins, and rising from the grave conquering death to simply say to us that if death can be conquered anything in life can be conquered. Today, I place every problem, every sickness or disease, every battle, every enemy I face beside death and remember that You have empowered us through the resurrection to be overcomers. THANK YOU! AMEN.

Blessings!
Pastor Roger