EasDon’t Think About the Cross this Easter by James L. Rubart

The cross has not only become the symbol for Easter, it’s become the symbol for all of Christianity.

The reason I say “become” is because it hasn’t always been that way. For the early Christians, the symbol of Christianity was the empty tomb. And by early, I don’t mean the first few years of the church.

The cross didn’t become into prevalent usage in art or churches until the 4th century.

Forgive me for repeating myself, but it was the EMPTY TOMB that the early Christians kept in the forefront of their minds.

Do we do the same?

I’m not trying to lessen our attention on the cross, only make sure we give equal focus to the power of the resurrection -which is the triumph of Life over death. It is the picture of our rebirth into men and women who have become the temple of God and have the Spirit living in the new Holy of Holies, our hearts.

He is risen. The tomb is empty. Let us focus and rejoice in that, the greatest news of all time, and live our own resurrected life because of what He has done.

Passion Play’s Supporting Characters by Julie Arduini

Each year our church shares the greatest story ever told with a Passion Play. It’s a Broadway-like production with as many as 100 in the cast that also features an ensemble and live animals. The actors are lay people with a desire to gift the Lord and the community with five presentations between Palm and Easter Sundays.

We’ve been part of that church for eight years and my husband and children have been involved for most of those years. That means I not only see the presentations each year, I’m often there for rehearsals. I’m quite familiar with the story and what to expect in each scene. Thing is, each rehearsal and performance moves me. I’ve yet to watch even one healing scene and remain unfazed. When Jesus lifts the dead girl and she returns to life, I sob to the point of fearing emitting noises that would distract from the show. We nearly lost our daughter at three months old, and I envision Jesus lifting her for healing that day, something I will never take for granted. It truly is the greatest story ever told.

Our son, circa 2007.

Between the play and the History channel’s The Bible, I’ve been  thinking about what writers would call the supporting characters. They are part of the story, well-developed if done right, but don’t overshadow the protagonist. When I think of Jesus and His journey to the cross, there are so many who have a story of their own.

Peter–The disciple who spoke first and thought later. He loved Jesus with fierce passion, only to deny Him when it mattered most.

Now a teen, he plays Philip, a disciple, this year.

Barabbas–A criminal set free. In our play, we reflect on the possibility that the one who first realized and perhaps appreciated Christ’s sacrifice would be Barabbas.

The thieves on the cross–One mocked Jesus. The other understood  they deserved their punishment, but Jesus did not. He asked Jesus to remember him, and Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” Luke 23:43, NIV

Mary–I didn’t fully appreciate her place in the story until I saw Passion of the Christ. She sacrificed twice. First, choosing to be the vessel to her and our savior. Second,  watching His death. Not understanding how this violent murder equals redemption and life. A mama’s heart shattered.

John–He not only witnesses the crucifixion of his beloved friend, he promises Jesus to care for Mary.

Judas–Deceived by money and false promises, his kiss is remembered today. He died a tormented soul.

When I think I found the secondary story to focus on, another aspect of Christ’s love pops up and I’m enchanted by Jesus all over again.

Our daughter in her first year as a town’s girl, 2011.

 

 

 

 

This holiest of weeks, what supporting character captivates you? Any of the above? Herod? Pontius Pilate? Someone else? I’d love to read your thoughts.

Have a blessed Easter!

A Spark Serves: Soul Food and the Heart-Weary Christian by Vicki Hinze

Photo Credit: canstockphoto.com

 

 

 

It’s Holy Week.  Almost Easter.  A revered time for people of faith.  The most revered time for Christians.  Today, I need to chat.  That’s right, to chat.  I need to talk with like-minded people—people who believe.  My soul needs food.  

 

Most Christians go through times of sheer weariness.  We tire of the faith struggles in our own lives and in our society.  Our freedom of religion is being interpreted by some as freedom from religion, and we’re frustrated by it and weary of it.

 

How can we not be?  We look around and see children exploited, young girls being programmed that sexy is better than virtuous (look at the magazine covers targeting teens).  We see a barrage of attacks against even Christmas trees with governors wanting to call them holiday trees, and Christmas break being tagged winter holiday.  We see our leader insist that Christian statues be covered during a speech at a Catholic college and yet he speaks beneath a banner that includes a photo of the father of terrorism.  We know important things seem, well, upside down, and now comes a push to rename an Easter Egg Hunt a Spring Egg Hunt.

 

What?  We have Christians being crucified for their faith (literally and figuratively) and we (as taxpaying citizens) are giving them billions of dollars.  Why?

 

All this is just the tip of the heap, as you well know, but it’s sufficient to relay the reason for the weariness.

 

We trust God, we celebrate Holy Week and Easter.  We do not waiver on it being the holiest of holidays in Christendom.  The Resurrection…  It’s awe-inspiring and humbling.  And even those who are not Christians should respect that.

 

If they did, I doubt we’d be living in a culture of deep corruption.  In a society where half—yes, half—of the children born are born to unwed mothers.  Our values have eroded and our ethics along with them.  We’ve buried our moral compass.  Allowing it to happen, doing nothing to prevent it, condones it.  And what we condone, we own.

 

I’m not an idealist or standing on a soapbox or suggesting we become raging zealots, but I am suggesting that I’m weary and I know other believers are, too.  For me, I’m battling it, determined to follow our beliefs and to refuse not to support them.  In other words, the PC police can forget it.  They have their vision of PC and I have mine, and this weary soul is opting for faith.

 

The weariness is not to the bone.  Close, but not to the bone.  In part, I thank Roma Downey and Mark Burnett for that.  Yes, the star of Touched by an Angel and the reality show guru.  They did the five-part series The Bible that’s airing on Sunday nights on the History channel.

 

Okay, so there’s been a lot of controversy on the show itself.  Of course, there has.  But considering how many don’t and never have read the Bible, and considering that this series is the only exposure they’ll get to the Bible, can’t we see the good in it?  The series is like a missionary to the U.S.  And if you’ve seen the religious decline (which has been actively sought by factions within and outside this country), you know we need a revival of spiritual matters and food for our spirits.  Give us that and the other problems decline.  We know it.  Our country was built on the premise of putting God first.  Through diligent effort, particularly in the past forty years, we’ve had our identity muddied and now we’re muddled.  For that reason, while some might find fault with The Bible’s production, I’m celebrating it.

 

It’s said to be #1—most watched.  The Examiner  had an article on it that said Hollywood didn’t understand why the series was so popular.  It confounded them.  We, of course, know exactly why it’s popular and why other films or series like it will be popular, too.  People are three-dimensional—physical, emotional and spiritual—and our spiritual selves are starving!

 

Simple.  So very simple.  We need soul food!  We don’t just want it, we need it.  We need  a spark to recognize what we need.

 

So last night, I’m watching the fourth part of the five-part series, and I notice the commercials.  Christianbooks.com had one.  Walmart had one.  Advertising the Bible.  I’m sure there were others, but these were on when the advertisers caught my attention and snagged my thoughts.  And I sat there feeling extremely emotional.  An ad for the Bible.  The BOOK.  The Word of God.  I’m choking up again now.

 

This is good.  Even if you disagree with exactly the way this or that is done in the series, you’ve got to see that this series and these kinds of commercials (which are wholly suitable for viewing by all ages [and that certainly can’t be said for many, many ads or shows]) are good.   Sparks!

Sparks!
Photo credit: canstockphoto.com

 

I hope that this series spurs an avalanche of films with spiritual themes that get people to thinking and talking and exploring and searching.  I hope it spurs a mountain of ads that are constructive and respectful.  But most of all, I hope it touches hearts.  The weariness and emptiness and longing that crushes so many in our society can be filled by faith.  We know it can, and I pray soon those who didn’t know it discover it, too.

 

Wouldn’t it be wonderful to be able to watch an early evening program with your family and not have to change the channel because of inappropriate content?  To have shows with content that is constructive and inspiring to viewers?

 

I boldly dare to dream that this starts a trend.  One that renews faith, depletes weariness in believers, and offers all who want it a path out of the darkness and into the light.  Wouldn’t it be terrific to see a swell of enthusiasm that leads to truth and contentment replace the current destructive behaviors that assure the absence of both?  Who knows?  Maybe, just maybe, that spark will ignite a flame and those who choose to walk and live outside the light will at least respect the rights of those who choose to walk in it.  That would be refreshing, and constructive, too.

 

What I know is this.  I write books to help the broken heal.  I read books that inspire and enlighten.  I view films for the same reasons.  And I know that this morning my heart is less weary.  A series and some commercials and because of constructive, faith-filled content, my soul is less weary.

 

And I know that without a spark, there is no flame.  A spark serves. If we recognize hunger and what we’re hungry for, we can seek it.  It doesn’t take much to recognize it, just a little spark.  If you think about it, doesn’t it kind of remind you of the mustard seed…

 

Blessings,

Vicki

 

Easter’s Coming! Time for a worldview check. Posted by Maureen Lang

Image from Bing Free Images and http://www.turnbacktogod.com/easter-desktop-wallpapers

Of all the holidays, Easter is probably the most important to me. I love Christmas, too, but the older I get the more work and preparation that day demands. Easter, on the other hand, beyond the bunnies and eggs and chocolate, somehow remains the holiest day of the year. Good Friday service often brings tears to my eyes as I’m reminded of how Christ died for me. And Sunday is more than a symbol of spring, a time when the world becomes a picture of God’s hand of renewal. It’s the day that more than any other reminds me how deep God’s love runs for me.

Naturally this is a good time of year to revisit faith and what it means.

My small group is going through a study of worldviews, which is enhancing this Easter season for me. It’s so interesting to re-check all of the things I hold dear, and why—and to compare other worldviews. Basically a worldview is the filter through which we see the world and our place in it. Our worldview sets our boundaries and defines for us what’s right and wrong and true. It’s worth a moment of time to do more than just go though another day with our beliefs comfortably in place, but to revisit and refresh them.

So this study* compares historic Christianity, the view I hold, to several others, including ones like natural secularism – the worldview that assumes only matter and energy exist, that everything apart from fact is just opinion or faith (faith and opinion being something that can’t be proven as either energy or matter). Science plays a huge role in this worldview, but when I’m reminded that the Bible isn’t incompatible with science, and you can still believe in creation and what scientists know about the incredible (yes, miraculous) design involved in this world, my faith is only strengthened.

Many worldviews overlap one another, postmodernism is one of them—a complicated belief system that absolute truth doesn’t exist. It’s the “I’m okay, you’re okay” mentality when one person’s truth is easily doubted by those who prefer to define God for themselves, not trusting the Bible or any of its interpretations (because of its imperfect interpreters).

Eastern religions have influenced many who hold a postmodern worldview as well as those with a new age view, which seems to depend heavily on emotion and personal experience. It always makes me wonder how much self-confidence (or perhaps more precisely, pride) it must take to define God solely through personal experience, trusting only that rather than something bigger that’s outside one’s self. Picking and choosing what suits a person’s emotional need rather than accepting one faith system seems to dilute and disrespect all of them.

This has always been a good time of the year to try understanding the way other people believe what they do. I know even within the Christian community there are many different traditions and beliefs, but the central truths shouldn’t be mixed up: God is the creator, a perfect being who is both loving and just, who wanted us to love Him freely. Because freedom always comes with a price, God paid the cost of our sin by becoming Christ, the Savior, so we can spend eternity with our Creator.

Everything else either supports or detracts from that core belief.

Isn’t Easter a good time of year to look at your core beliefs or worldview, to see what your life says about what you believe?

*Chuck Colson’s Centurions Study and Portals by Glenn Sunshine

Matthew 27: Wondering What Happened on Saturday by Julie Arduini

Matthew 27 (verse from BibleGateway.com)
The Guard at the Tomb

62 The next day, the one after Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate. 63 “Sir,” they said, “we remember that while he was still alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’ 64 So give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may come and steal the body and tell the people that he has been raised from the dead. This last deception will be worse than the first.”

65 “Take a guard,” Pilate answered. “Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how.” 66 So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard.

I don’t know if it’s a writer thing or just a curious Jesus girl thing but I’d like to know about Saturday. We have details about “Good” Friday where Jesus was crucified. We know all about Resurrection Sunday.

So, what do you think Saturday was like?

Matthew 27:62-65 gives us a glimpse and if I close my eyes, I can picture the scene.

Want to close your eyes and journey with me?

Those that loved Jesus are devastated and confused. Those that hated him are giving shouts of celebration and recounts of key moments. Government officials are proud. They took down the biggest threat to their government with no fight from this so called king. Barabbas? The real criminal? I imagine he’s overwhelmed with ideas on what to do with his new freedom.

All of them, I can guess, are spending Saturday with one eye over their shoulder.

Haunted.

Scared.

Anxious.

Sick.

I bet they see shadows in the pique of daytime. With that, they stop everything and look. Wonder.

Pilate and his officials take tentative steps all day. When Pilate brings a chalice to his lips— I’m sure his hands are shaking. The guards around the tomb are exhausted, even though their shift just started. The mental strain of waiting on the promises will do that.

Barabbas starts dozens of plans to satisfy self but can’t complete one evil idea. He knows where he belongs and he can’t shake it. For all the open spaces and freedom he slinks in a corner, the tomb in view. He wraps his knees to his chest and rocks back and forth. The same position he had in prison.

The devil paces back and forth, anxiety quadrupling with every step. His defeated hands over his ears. His minions keep repeating what he already knows.

What about the third day?

He knows God’s Word. Oh, he twists it, but he knows. And I suspect he can’t enjoy his victory because he knows it is short lived.

Heaven is muted. A sense of grief and confusion weaves throughout the streets of gold. Something is in the works. But what?

***

We know because of Friday, God hid His usual palette of color and painted a bleak gray scene for the world to interact in that Saturday.

How about you? What do you imagine happened?