It's Unbelievable!!!

“Why do you look for the living among the dead?

He is not here, but has risen” 

(Luke 24:5).

I am not a morning person. So, leading Sunrise Services was something of a challenge, especially on hilltops, in snow showers, drizzle, around a campfire in fog, and assorted settings. In ways, I'm a lot like Peter, it takes my coffee to get me going or it takes a soul shocking experience.

A soul shocking experience happened when Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women arrived early in the morning to prepare Jesus’ body for the grave. They discover an empty tomb and “two men in dazzling clothes” (24:4) who  explain what happened and say, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen” (24:5). 

They tell this unbelievable story to skeptic apostles who don't believe them. Except Peter. He runs to the tomb and sees the unbelievable. 

How do we believe the unbelievable? We live in a confusing, violent time with soul shocking experiences. Children separated from families, racially motivated brutality, and random mass shootings.  How does the power of the resurrection fit into all of this? 

Easter calls us to move beyond basic knowledge of the resurrection to believing the unbelievable.  Believing in the resurrection isn't just knowledge, it's also a transforming experience.

Easter belief can to transform our everyday life right here and now. It transforms soul shocking experiences so tragedy becomes triumph and victim becomes victor. 

It works like this. For me, Sunrise Services culminated a  physically and spiritually stressful Holy Week.

Easter transformation begins with people gathering for Easter worship. An excitement, a refreshing spirit filled the church. As we began singing "Christ the Lord is Risen today" my stressed spirit was transformed to one of celebration and new life.

For you, how has Easter been a transformation experience?