I am very excited to have the opportunity to lead an Easter worship service. This will be the first Easter that I have ever leadand this has always been a life goal for me as a worship leader. So I am stoked. I have been kicking around the idea of going big. I really enjoy Easter time and the anticipation of Easter.
The month leading to the Easter weekend was an intense time for Jesus' life on Earth. He was greeted when he entered Jerusalem by people waving branches and singing to him. Shortly afterwards, how many of the "branch wavers" do you think he recognized gambling in the temple? And, am I one of the branch waving gamblers too???? yikes. Often I feel that I am. Two of his closest friends will betray him soon, and he knows this. Yet, he still offers the cup and the bread to them. The forgiveness for their sins payed to them in full before they would materialize their acts of betrayal.
People tend to put a lot of influence on Christmas time as the Holy Season, which I agree that we should celebrate the birth of Christ as the beginning of the great work about to take place. The Easter Crucifixion, and more importantly, the Resurrection is the time where the fulfillment of God's mercy comes to be.
This brings me back to my original thought of the person of Christ. Jesus Christ became fully God and fully man. I am not going to get into the theological explanation of this. If it is unclear to you, search the scripture and talk to your pastor. Nevertheless, Jesus was fully God and fully man. I tend to dwell on the fact of Jesus being man. Jesus felt the same pains and anxieties that we are susceptible to each day, but how did he overcome these things? By searching the scripture and daily communing with his Father. So, thinking of the man aspect of Jesus, re-reading the gospels in a new light, I will look at the timeline immediately preceding the Easter weekend. From the moment he entered the gates of Jerusalem, knowing that he was going to die for the sins of the people who were singing around him, to the Garden of Gethsemane where the man aspect of Jesus shows most evident. When he begins to feel the weigh of the cup of judgement, but then knows that these things must take place so that the Father's perfect will can be seen. Then the betrayal of Peter, the rock. Peter, the rock... Peter who succombs to fears of persecution for being a friend of Jesus and denies knowing Jesus. All the while Jesus carries this cross that is rightfully Peter's, and mine. Then, Judas Iscariot, who has already sold Jesus out. Jesus knows what business Judas has to attend to, and chooses not to rat him out. Instead, he offers him the cup, the bread, and redemption for sin.
So... This Easter 2009, I am excited to take on the challenge of Easter. Beginning in March, I will look into this time in the life of our Savior. My Easter music list will be epic. In the upcoming weeks, I intend to reflect on the time Jesus spent in the city preparing himself to die . Good Friday will look at the Crucifixion, and Sunday am will be the time of celebrating the Resurrection.
This will be difficult, but exciting. I have always wanted to do an Easter service, and I think that it has quite a bit to do with the way I think, and how symbolism is a very important part of my make-up. Hopefully, it goes well, honors this time, and in all things gives glory to the Lord.
