Preparing Your Heart for Easter

We moved into a new apartment last weekend. And, because I am overly ambitious - okay, probably unrealistic in regards to my box-unloading capabilities - I have invited family over to our new place for Easter lunch.

Between moving in and Easter, my husband and I will have already traveled twice. And, to say the least, we have a lot of work to get done on the apartment between now and Friday night when family arrives! Not to mention preparing a proper menu for Easter lunch and an Easter Egg Hunt for my niece and, well, my husband, brother and brother-in-law. And, before that, we have our Easter service to practice for with the worship band and an additional Easter Egg hunt for 30 teenagers afterwards!! Wait a minute. Time-out!

What am I focusing on? Wall-hangings, plastic eggs and…ham? Sad. This reminds me of the story of Mary and Martha:

“As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, ‘Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!’

“‘Martha, Martha,’ the Lord answered, ‘you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.’” (Luke 10:38-42)

Martha was so focused on preparing a meal and being a “proper” hostess that she didn’t focus on the most important situation at hand: Jesus was there with them! Martha was focused on the food that Jesus was eating. But, Jesus wanted her focus to be on Him. And, He asks that of each of us especially now!

As Christians, our daily celebration comes from this supernatural day: Easter! Let us slow down. Yes, serve others as we ought. But, don’t allow preparations and service to block your awe and wonder of Christ being in your midst. Christ is the reason for the gathering. Sit down and spend time with Him this Easter. He tells us that we will not regret our choice: “it will not be taken away from her,” said Jesus of Mary. He is all that will remain steadfast.

Make sure that you thank God for sending His only son to die on a cross for our sins – not His. He was blameless. He gave Himself up for you and He rose again to spend eternity with you - with each one of us. Don’t allow Easter to slide by without an amazing moment in His presence. Remember: Even if you were the only person who ever existed, Christ would have taken on sin and the cross – the whipping, the nails, the torment- just for you. We have a lot to reflect on and rejoice in on Sunday!


Provided by Sarah Guldalian, Editor


He is risen indeed! An Easter Memory

When my children were young, I would take them to our family home in Alabama every year for Easter. The Lutheran Church we attended was located on a country road adjacent to the church’s graveyard.

After Easter Sunday worship the Sunday school would invite all of the children to have an Easter Egg hunt in the graveyard in back of the church. Once when my daughter, Erica, was age 8 she asked: “Why do we always have our Easter Egg hunt in the graveyard?” The church was a small one-room building with no place in it to hide anything, but there was a greater truth.

I reminded my daughter of the scripture we had just heard in church. Jesus died on the cross for our sins and was in the grave three days and rose on the third day which was what we were celebrating on Easter day.

I told my daughter that Jesus’ mother Mary and the other women were in the graveyard looking for Jesus, but they could not find him. When I said that Jesus had risen from the dead we said together, “He is risen indeed!” She said that she was asking because she was looking for eggs and could not find them. We laughed and hugged; and, she went on her way.

When we got back home to Detroit, her teacher asked the class to share what they did during Easter break. Erica told her class that she had an Easter Egg Hunt in the graveyard. Some of her classmates laughed. Some said it was “creepy.” Erica said: “It was a good place to remember the Bible story about Jesus rising from the dead!”


Provided by Kaye Wolff
Presenter, Equipping to Share


A bit of Easter humor

As my family prepared for Easter Sunday this week, they prepped my 4-year-old niece for the upcoming excitement:

"Iayah, the Easter Bunny is coming here on Sunday!"
Iayah responded in fright: "Where is he coming?"
"He's coming here," they said.
"He can't come to my house!" she exclaimed with wide eyes.
"But, he's bringing you candy!"
"You tell him to leave it outside!"

This story was too funny to keep to myself. First off, Iayah keeps us laughing consistently with her humorous improv as she learns more about the world and reveals her intelligence. But she often causes us to sit back and think about her revealing words: This Easter Bunny idea is a little absurd, don’t you think? Because of our marketing-intensive society, we don't give it a second thought to promote that a 6-foot tall, hairy rabbit is coming to our house to see our kids. But, here, little innocent Iayah reminds us how bizarre this idea is! How funny!

Have a wonderful Easter Sunday with your children and grandchildren!


Thought of the Day

"You are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed."
- Jesus



Tips for Sharing

Easter is not only a wonderful time to share with the unchurched, but also to share the Gospel message with small children who are learning about God and His Son Jesus.

Before your Easter Egg hunt and family gathering, make sure to set aside time to explain to your child or grandchild what this celebration is about. We are celebrating because:

Once, we were separated from God because of our sin, which began in the Garden of Eden when Eve and Adam ate the forbidden fruit. So, we are now sinful - when we lie, when we take things that aren't ours, when we are selfish with our toys, when we hit others, when we say mean things to others. This sin caused us to be separated from God.

But, God who loves us so much and only wants to be close to us – always – sent His one and only innocent Son, Jesus, to die on the cross to take on our sins. He took our sins away from us to make us clean; and He overcome darkness and death!

Jesus died on the cross for us. But, guess what? He is God; and He rose again from the dead. Easter was the third day when Jesus was in the tomb and He rose from the dead! That is today. That is what we are celebrating. He lives today. And, we will live and be with Him for eternity.


Prayer

Heavenly Father, We ask you for a weekend full of celebration, that is all about you, full of mission moment opportunities to share this Gospel message with others. Let our primary and ultimate focus be what you have done for us through Christ and the cross. And, what you have done for us so that we can be clean and so that we may spend eternity with you in heaven. While with our friends and family, let us be a light, guiding the conversation back to you, back to the purpose of this Easter holiday. Please grant us good weather, safe travels and lots of fun in fellowship with one another. Thank you for your goodness! Thank you for your forgiveness! Thank you for new life found only in your Son! In Jesus' Name we pray and rejoice, Amen.


Web Resources

Have you invited a friend to Easter service, but received a "Sorry, I have to work brunch" or another variation? No problem! Encourage your friend to participate in Easter Sunday by simply podcasting LHM's Lenten Devotions. Point them to www.lhm.org/podcasts/step3-lenten.htm. The Easter message is only a click away!




Follow-Up Training Article

Beatriz Hoppe, Coordinator of Hispanic Ministries at Lutheran Hour Ministries, tells us of the differences of a Hispanic culture from an American culture so that we may effectively and specifically reach out to Hispanics. Read "Sharing Your Faith with the Hispanics " at www.lhm.org/equipping/followup.htm today!

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