PASTORAL PONDERINGS

April 2006

by Pastor Jim Berger
Easter is coming and soon will be gone. Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Sun Rise and Easter Morning will soon be past. For most people these days will be the end of this holy time of the year.

But is it?

     It need not be so. According to the church calendar Easter is more then one day, it is a season. It begins with Easter Sunday and runs fifty days, until Pentecost. Traditionally, these are figured to include the 40 days that Jesus taught his disciples and the days following until the Spirit of God came upon the church in power.

     The church calendar is not binding on Baptists, but it is a form of disciple that we can undertake, reminding us of some of the central facts of the faith. The Season of Easter brings to us this good news; we are not involved with a one-time event but are sharing in an eternal transaction.

     If Easter is only about the one time resurrection of Jesus Christ, I fear your faith is not sufficiently informed. It is about so much more.

     The story of this holy day is that we are all sharers in the works of our Lord. It was for our sins that He sacrificed

 His life. He was the only one who could mend the relationship between humanity and the Father and at a terrible cost, He did so. Our lives were purchased from death by His sacrifice. Not even death could keep His love from being showered upon us, for it could not hold Him, so great is our Lord

 

      Easter is not about a day!

      It is about the pivot point upon which the entire story of humanity's relationship with God hangs. Before Easter there was only separation and sin's power. After it the pathway of salvation and victory stood open to all who would believe upon Jesus. All of time is focused upon this one occurrence, the victory of Jesus.

      How, then, shall we keep the season?

      If you gave up something for Lent, to discipline yourself, my challenge is that you take up something in the next 50 days of Easter. Don't take up a bad habit or whatever it may have been you've given up.

      What you need to become involved with is a sense that you have victory in Jesus. He is greater than all your sins. He will work His  mighty work of Salvation for you if you but ask. He will free you of slavery to sin. All of these things He offers to you.

      Take Him up on this; He will not fail. Turn to the Lord for He is good. His love endures forever. Go through the year rejoicing in the life given to you. Because the Lord lives, so do you.

Happy Easter!

Pastor Jim Berger
 
Acts 1:1-5

          In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen.

           After his suffering, he showed himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God.

           On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit."