Keeping Easter Alive

So many things can be said about the resurrection. The biblical content alone is rich and meaningful. Then there’s the way your church observes and celebrates the events surrounding and including the resurrection. Scholars continue to study the history of the resurrection and discover new and wonderful things about it all the time. If ever there was an event that has meaning and significance for us today, it’s the resurrection of Jesus! But how can we keep the resurrection alive in our individual hearts and lives? We prepare for Easter and participate in worship on Easter Sunday, but then what? Here are some thoughts about keeping Easter alive…

Exciting, But Not Completely New

The news about Jesus’ resurrection is exciting. Period. We know that. He is truly alive and will never die again! He is alive and present in my life at this very moment. That is genuinely exciting to think about. But, the news is not new. The resurrection took place nearly 2,000 years ago. You probably have been hearing about it all of your life. How many Easter services have you attended? How many eggs have you hunted? How many times have you scrambled to get the kids together and out the door so you can find a good seat at church on Easter Sunday morning?

No matter how exciting the news may be, time has a way of diminishing the personal excitement we may have and desire. And you know what? That’s okay. Give yourself a break. Our bodies are not designed (by God) to be on a constant emotional high. It’s okay to feel less than highly enthusiastic about the celebration ALL the time. It’s okay to recognize the significance of the resurrection even while not feeling super excited.

Eternal, But Not Always Emotional

The biblical story reaches back thousands of years. We’ve seen 2,000 years pass just since Jesus. God has been at this for a LOOOONG time! And, the story continues to unfold. God will still be writing His story into an infinite eternity. The story of the resurrection is an eternal story and you are a part of it! Whatever you may be feeling today or even at this moment, it will pass. But, the reality of the resurrection will be here tomorrow, next year, and forever. It is an eternal story, but it’s not always an emotional story.

We live in the midst of an amazing, unfolding, eternal story. But, tomorrow there will be things to do. Some of them will be mundane. Meals to prepare. Messages to answer. Trips to be made. Life can be filled with ups and downs on any given day. Learn to live in the ongoing reality of the eternal story. Whatever happens today, good and bad, is likely to be relatively small compared to the expanse of eternity.

Practical, But Not Terribly Creative

Jesus is alive. He is risen. That fact will not change under any circumstance. It cannot change. So, here are some practical tips to help you keep Easter alive, even if they’re not terribly creative.

  • Spend a few moments in personal reflection at least once a week for the next several weeks. Think about why the resurrection is important to you. Think about the difference Christ has already made in your life. No need to get highly emotional about it (but it’s okay if you do). Just think about it.
  • Read the resurrection story from each of the Gospels at least one time for the next four weeks. They’re all slightly different so you can hear the story from different angles. The passages are… Matthew 28:1-10, Mark 16:1-8, Luke 24:1-12, and John 20:1-18.
  • BE the image of God where you are. The resurrection of Jesus is the evidence that God has begun the process of restoring creation and establishing His Kingdom, just as Jesus announced. We were created to reflect His goodness and majesty. We were created “in His image.” As Christians, we are the image of God when we love people unconditionally in the power of God’s Spirit. Who needs your love today? Who needs to see the Person, the glory, and the love of God in you today?

Keeping Easter alive is a choice each of us make. It is not always an emotion and it isn’t wildly new. But it is real and it’s something we can allow to settle into our hearts and actions. As we do, the reality of Jesus’ resurrection will live on long after Easter weekend!

Rick Edwards
Author, Speaker, Bible Teacher

See a list of other articles by Rick Edwards.

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