At my birth, my parents named me “Michael,” perhaps after my dad’s brother or after the famous ballplayer, Mickey Mantle; I’m not sure. For the first half of my life, I went by the name “Mike.” Church members called me, “Pastor Mike.” Now I have gone back to “Michael.” It is, after all, my name.
This Sunday, millions of Christians will celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. For decades, I called that holy day “Easter Sunday,” or simply “Easter.” More recently, I have taken to calling it Resurrection Sunday for several reasons.
The first reason is that “Resurrection Sunday” is unambiguous, Easter is not. Just as Christmas is, for many, about Santa Claus and gift giving, not the birth of Jesus Christ, Easter is, for many, about the Easter bunny and candy giving, not the resurrection of Jesus Christ. If I said that we celebrate Easter in our household, how would anyone know which I meant – candy or Christ? Saying that we celebrate Resurrection Sunday removes the uncertainty.
A second reason I refer to this holy day as Resurrection Sunday is to let people know what the day is truly about. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the most significant event in human history and is the lynchpin of Christianity. The Apostle Paul recognized that if Jesus is not raised from the dead, we who teach that God raised Jesus from the dead are, at best, fools, and at worst, misrepresenting God. Jesus’ resurrection proves that he is who he claimed to be – the Christ, the Holy One that God promised to send to redeem his people from his own wrath against sin.
“You will not abandon my soul to Sheol,” wrote David in Psalm 16:10, “or let your Holy One see corruption.” The Apostle Peter quoted that verse in his Pentecost sermon, noting that David was not speaking about himself but about the Christ whom God would not leave in the grave. David died, was buried, and he stayed buried. “This Jesus God raised up,” said Peter, “and of that we all are witnesses.”
A third reason I refer to this day as Resurrection Sunday is that it is unusual enough to be noticed and to prompt questions, questions that I’m happy to answer! Jesus’ resurrection is good news! After his resurrection, Jesus appeared to his Apostles and sent them into the world to tell everyone about his resurrection. Why? God’s Word promises that whoever would confess Jesus is Lord and sincerely believe that God raised him from the dead, will be saved. Just as God raised Jesus to a new life, never to die again, God raises them to a new life, never to die again! That is good news worth sharing!
This Resurrection Sunday, when my congregation and I gather at Navarre Park at 9:00 am, it will be to celebrate the good news of Christ’s resurrection. No bunnies. No eggs. Together we will profess that Christ is risen! You’re welcome to join us!
