Yesterday’s date was April 3, 2021. In shorthand numerics, that was four – three – two – one… What comes next? No, I am not trying to be a doomsday believer. But I do know and believe that this world as we know it is coming to an end. It is coming to an end because of Christ our King, our resurrected Lord, our Savior. The one who has conquered death and the grave. The maker the feast that we come to celebrate as Easter.
Let me tell you a small story of something that happened shortly after the Communists took over in Russia. There was a man who had a reputation as being a fiery evangelist for communism. He had just finished giving what he thought was a foolproof talk in favor of communism and atheism.
He had a large crowd in front of him. And as he finished his talk, he invited anyone up to try to refute him. Well, an Orthodox priest stepped up onto the stage. This communist man glared at the priest and said, “do not take too long!”
The priest said very quietly to the man “oh, I will not take long at all.” Then, stepping to the microphone, he raised his hands and shouted into the microphone “Christ has risen!” And the entire crowd responded back “he has truly risen!”
In our day there are many people who want to dismiss the claims of Christ risen in glory. They are people who have not allowed the love of Christ to touch their hearts. They are people who are walking in a darkness that they do not even recognize themselves. They are much to be pitied. There are others who stay in a twilight not committing to Christ but admitting something in their lives of some acknowledgment of faith in a God who is somehow distant.
We know and declare clearly and forcefully: God has risen! This is not some game or some fantasy! This is the reality that has torn down the strongholds of death and the grave! This is the glory of our God! This is our Easter proclamation: Alleluia! Alleluia! He is risen! Christ is risen! And he has taken us through the death of baptism to the resurrection of life!
Let the world push to a close – fourth – three – two – one! We know our Savior lives and we will see him face-to-face in the glory of heaven and to the glory and praise of God the Father. This is our Easter proclamation: Alleluia! Alleluia! He is risen! Christ is risen! Amen.
Let me tell you a small story of something that happened shortly after the Communists took over in Russia. There was a man who had a reputation as being a fiery evangelist for communism. He had just finished giving what he thought was a foolproof talk in favor of communism and atheism.
He had a large crowd in front of him. And as he finished his talk, he invited anyone up to try to refute him. Well, an Orthodox priest stepped up onto the stage. This communist man glared at the priest and said, “do not take too long!”
The priest said very quietly to the man “oh, I will not take long at all.” Then, stepping to the microphone, he raised his hands and shouted into the microphone “Christ has risen!” And the entire crowd responded back “he has truly risen!”
In our day there are many people who want to dismiss the claims of Christ risen in glory. They are people who have not allowed the love of Christ to touch their hearts. They are people who are walking in a darkness that they do not even recognize themselves. They are much to be pitied. There are others who stay in a twilight not committing to Christ but admitting something in their lives of some acknowledgment of faith in a God who is somehow distant.
We know and declare clearly and forcefully: God has risen! This is not some game or some fantasy! This is the reality that has torn down the strongholds of death and the grave! This is the glory of our God! This is our Easter proclamation: Alleluia! Alleluia! He is risen! Christ is risen! And he has taken us through the death of baptism to the resurrection of life!
Let the world push to a close – fourth – three – two – one! We know our Savior lives and we will see him face-to-face in the glory of heaven and to the glory and praise of God the Father. This is our Easter proclamation: Alleluia! Alleluia! He is risen! Christ is risen! Amen.
