Come. Celebrate Easter...

Our little town is blessed beyond measure to have Brett and his little family living here among us.

I could go on and on about the talents he possesses; the interest he has in our town, his ministry to our young people. But this post isn't really about Brett and his family. It's about what he believes as a Christian.

Brett writes a Christian column for our weekly paper. He's not a preacher, as in preparing a sermon to give us from a pulpit on Sunday. He's one of those "Sermons You See". If you asked him what church he was a member of, I think he would say something like...."Well....I'm a Christian who happens to be affiliated with a Baptist church".

The following are the thoughts about Easter that he wrote for the paper this week. I felt it fitting to post this because all good thoughts, spiritual advice, and down to earth common sense about living the good life doesn't always have to come from an ordained preacher from a pulpit, or from a theologian.

These are Brett's thoughts in Layman's Terms.....

As a whole, we don't put as much effort into Easter as we do at Christmas, but we should. At Christmas, you get Santa, Rudolph, presents, lots of food, lights on the house, a pre-lit tree, and a long holiday. All we get at Easter are colored eggs, candy, and pastel colored clothes. Oh yeah, and we get Jesus' crucifixion, death, burial, and resurrection. Where's the fun in that? (Oh man, I got sarcasm all over myself.) As Christians, this should be the holiday that we really celebrate.

I have a favorite part of the Easter story. My favorite part happens in Matthew 27:50-51, "And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split."

My favorite part of the Easter story has to do with the phrase, "At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom." When Jesus cried out, "It is finished", (John 19:30) something miraculous happened; the curtain in the temple became useless. For centuries, the curtain had separated the Holiest of Holy part of the temple. Only a purified priest could go behind the curtain to pray and make sacrifices to God on behalf of other men. Only that chosen priest could commune with God and only after he himself had been cleansed through a sacrifice.

When Jesus breathed His last and His sacrifice had been completed, God emphasized His point by ripping that curtain in two. There was no longer the need for a priest and a temple and a most holy place to communicate with God. Jesus became that way to communicate with God. He now stands between us and God and all we need to do is accept what He did on the cross and let it change our lives.

Something else happened; up until Jesus died and the curtain was torn, the Jews had been God's chosen people. Black or white or rich or poor, we are all welcome to accept forgiveness for our sins. There isn't a sin limit either; you can't have sinned too much to be forgiven (believe me). All who will accept the price paid on the cross will be cleansed. Romans 5:8 tells us, "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

So, in that sense, Easter should be celebrated with even greater passion than Christmas and it should be celebrated by everyone. Without Easter there is no Christmas because the birth has no meaning without the subsequent sacrifice. The curtain was torn in two for all of mankind, just like the resurrection of Christ defeated death for all men. To remain in darkness and sin is a choice that man makes, because God has created the way out. To remain on the other side of a veil separated from God is our choice, when we choose not to accept what happened on Good Friday and Easter Sunday.

Maybe Easter means nothing more than eggs and a bunny to you. It could mean so much more, if you will only make choice. Come celebrate.

Brett Dobbs
"In Layman's Terms"
The Munday Courier
March 19, 2008

Come. Celebrate Easter.