When I first tried to find the date for Easter this year, and looked at the calendar on my iPhone, I couldn’t find it. It wasn’t there! By looking elsewhere, I discovered Easter would be on April 1st. When I looked again on my phone, all it listed for April 1st was April Fool’s Day. I couldn’t believe it. Was it an oversight, or intentional?
I found it hard to believe that anyone would intentionally leave the greatest event in history off the calendars, but then I started seeing reports that that was indeed the case. Then I heard that there was quite an uproar about it. I really don’t know what caused it, or what fixed it, but Easter did eventually appear on the calendar.
I guess it shouldn’t have surprised me to discover that there might be forces in the world that want news about the resurrection withheld. The first time it was reported, the soldiers were paid to lie about it. And, of course, we have a spiritual enemy who wants the truth about the resurrection withheld.
In spite of all attempts to erase the resurrection from history, the Good News of a Risen Christ has survived. And with it comes the promise that we too will rise from the dead. The Apostle Paul beautifully tied them together in I Cor.15.
“Now if Christ is preached, that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection from the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, not even Christ has been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain…your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins.
“But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep. For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all shall be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ’s at His coming,”
The message from the empty tomb is still declared loud and clear. Christ is risen, He is risen indeed!
God Bless, Rick
Chatham Christian Church 