Religion: A Pastor Ponders

Easter

by Pastor William Jenkins

April 14, 2006

We are in that season of the year when we turn our attention from the brown chill of Winter to the green warmth of Spring. It is appropriate that Spring should be the season in which we celebrate Easter; resurrection is the theme of both. There would be no Spring green if their were no Winter brown. There would be no Easter Sunday if there were no Black Friday.

What is this hold that a place called Mt. Calvary and Easter have on us? Why should a Roman gallows haunt the conscience of the world? Why does the garden tomb of a Jewish aristocrat have such a magnetic attraction on the spirit of mankind? And why is it that on Easter Sunday Christian churches throughout the land will have their best attendance?

It is because in the deep places of our spirits we are aware that there, on that cross and from that tomb, God acted and eternity intersected time. It is because we are in love with life and our hope of finding fulfillment in it is connected to that old rugged cross and that empty garden tomb. What happened on the Cross has the potential to transform our temporal lives. What happened in that empty tomb has the potential to assure our eternal life.

Scholars of all stripes and persuasions can debate the particulars of Easter, its origin and significance in Christian belief, but they can never reverse what happened on that original Easter Sunday morning. A resurrection happened and there is more evidence for it than there is for ninety percent of all other historical events.

I invite you to ponder the evidence in Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians, chapter 15, verses 3-8. It reminds me that the person with an experience is never at the mercy of the person with an argument.

Have a hope-filled Easter.

League City United Methodist Church is located at 1411 Main Street (FM 518), one block east of Interstate 45. For information, call the church offices at 281-332-1557 or visit the website at

HYPERLINK - http://www.lcumc.org