Grace and peace be to each of you in the name of the Risen Savior Jesus Christ. In few short days, we will once again celebrate the central tenant of our Christian faith...the Easter story. Christ is risen from the dead. That is both the truth and joy of Easter. Christ is alive and because He is alive, it makes a difference in how we live now and in our hope for the future. We are no longer chained to an earthly existence. We are no longer bound by sin and shame. Death has been defeated. Eternal life is real and possible. Hope has been restored. Life has been renewed. And I know many of those thoughts have become clichés in our society but we know they are true don't we? At least I hope we do. And as Easter people, we should be spreading the good news. However, sometimes, I am afraid our message falls flat.

    Let me explain. Too many of us who profess Jesus as our risen Savior and Lord, still live defeated lives. We go around down in the dumps. We walk around with a dark cloud as our best friend. I am not suggesting we have to be perpetually happy, happy, happy. We want to be authentic and can be authentic when we realize that the greatest victory we need has already been won. And as Christians, if we walk around in doom and gloom, with defeated attitudes, what witness is that? People are going to look at us and say if Christianity does that to you, I don't want any of it. I can get enough of that from the world.

    I read something around this time last year and I can't remember the source, but it puts the Resurrection in a new perspective for me. Someone wrote, "The Resurrection doesn't fix the world! The world is still messed up. It is still broken and fallen. The Resurrection gives us a hope for the world that is to come but it also gives us a power for living in this fallen and broken world."

    The Resurrection teaches us to how to live in this broken and fallen world. Let's be honest. Life is hard. Trials big and small may come, but trials are not all we have in store for us. Sorrows may come, but sorrows are not all we have in store for us. Hardships may come, but hardships are not all we have in store for us. We live in a difficult world and sometimes we make it more difficult than it has to be because of our own pride, stubbornness, selfishness, and sinfulness. We don't want anyone's help. We don't need anyone's help. We will make it fine on our own. Let me ask you. How has that worked for you?

    The Resurrection teaches us to live our lives trusting in the power of God which can bring life from death, light from darkness, hope from despair, and peace from confusion. It teaches us to live in a new way, not a defeated way. It teaches us to live victoriously. But the problem is too many of us treat the Resurrection as an event, not as a living reality. It is something we go to at church not something we live in daily. The Resurrection leads us to new life. The Resurrection of Jesus from the dead gives us the opportunity to change because what comes natural because of our fallen nature is not always what we need. We can choose to live victoriously. We can live differently because of the power of the Resurrection. God doesn't want us to be broken. But it is our choice.

    I want to assure you of something. The world is not going to win. It may win some battles, but it is not going to win the war. Christ has defeated the world! We may die, but death is not going to win. Now, let's get this straight, the world is going to try to convince you otherwise. Satan is going to try to convince you otherwise. Even the Scribes and Pharisees did that. They became the first spin doctors as Matthew's gospel tells us they bribed the guards who had been posted at the tomb to say his followers had taken the body.

    As Christians, as followers of Christ, we may get the blues from time to time but when we dwell there, Satan wins because he robs us of the joy and hope the risen Christ gives us. If we are going to be followers of Christ, then one of the characteristics of our lives should be that we are victorious. That doesn't mean that we get live in arrogance. It means we need stay close to Christ. We need to be humble and be servants. We need to be forgiving as we have been forgiven. We need to be inviting and welcoming. We need to care. And, we need to live victoriously, not defeated.  

    Think about what the world would look like if more of us chose to live victoriously? Think about what your community, your church, your family, your life would look like if you chose to live victoriously! Would it make a difference in how you looked at the world? Would it make a difference in how you looked at the community around you? Would it make you, as a church, stop and look at the community around you? Would it make a difference in your family dynamics? Would it make a difference in what other people saw in your life? Would it make a difference in your witness? I believe it would.  

    Here is my challenge. Let's live victoriously. Let's live like we really believe we have a great God who loves us, cares for us, is with us, and gives us hope in the midst of our trials, strength in the midst of our struggles, peace in the midst of our storms and life even in the face of death. And here is what I want you to do. Pick out somebody, a friend, neighbor, co-worker, family member and let them see the Resurrection of Christ making a difference in your life. You don't have to tell them to look, let them see if for themselves, when you choose to live victoriously, not defeated. Be persistent in doing this and see if it doesn't begin to make a difference in your relationship with them and in how they live. That is how we can share the good news of Christ, one by one and then it begins to multiply. It becomes noticeable and contagious just like the joy that first Easter morning grew and grew until the news came to us. If we will consistently do this for the next year, I believe it will make a difference in us, others, our church, our community, and most importantly, our witness to the Resurrection.

Love and blessings,