It's All In The Count

"The women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, but the men said to them "Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here but has risen" (Luke 24:5)

    I admit than I am not great at math.  Oh basic math I do fine, but once it begins to get a bit advanced, I begin to lose interest. Knowing thisn some years ago asked me about eh 40 days of Lent. "Pastor, I didn't want to say anything but in the sermon you kept talking about the 40 days of Lent. And I've counted. It's more than 40 days.  I don't think you are counting correctly."

  This is one of the times though, I knew my math was correct.  We do not count Sundays in our coutn fo teh days of Lent. Why/ What possible difference could it make to not count Sunday as a day of Lent?

  It's because Sunday is always Easter in the church.  Granted we will have a huge celebration in church on Easter Sunday.  But isn't that what we do every Sunday? We gather as the church to celebrate the actual, bodily resurrection of Jesus.

  The resurrection of Jesus, for the church, isn't just a nice story of how the good guy wins.  It's not a story that reminds us of how in nature winter invariable turns to Spring and the world experiences, in  some measure new birth.  The resurrection is an actual event. Not just an event, but the event that changes everything.

  The resurrection of Jesus is the lynch pin of everything we do in  the church. Jesus went around saying He was God. How do we know He was who he said he was? because of the empty tomb. He told used to live in a way that is the almost complete opposite of how most of us live. All that "Don't be anxious, turn the other cheek, go the extra mile , forgive everyone" stuff. It so goes against my nature I might even be tempted to wonder why should I do any of it? Because of the empty tomb. The Empty tomb goes authority and authenticity to the teachings of Jesus. Why should I believe Jesus can still forgive, heal, lift up , answer, love comfort and performance miracles? Because he rose from the dead.

  The Resurrection of Jesus  changes our frame of reference for our values and how we view the world. We see that rather than the resurrection being a nice "spring" Story it's the exact opposite. Spring is a fore teller of what God was going to do on that first Easter morning.

  I for one am glad that every Sunday we celebrate Easter.  Because this is not the only Lent I'll go though this year. I'll have days and weeks of Lent. The times when I'll see my sins glaring before me. The times I'll be in the desert.  The times I'll walk a road of pain and sorrow. I need to be reminded every week that lent does not last forever. Good Friday does not last forever. It's as if every week, God whispers, "Hold on. Easter is right around the corner. I'll lift you back up. Jesus is alive."

  Yes the season of Lent is vital to our spiritual lives.  But it's not the finish line. We celebrate the Risen Christ, the one who calls us to Rise with Him. So please use the season of Lent well. Just don't forget to count on Easter.

In Christ,

Rev. Dr. Brian Jones <><