Today’s Lectionary Readings: Psalm 150; Acts 10:34-43; John 20:1-18; Colossians 3:1-4; Psalm 118:14-24
First things first: HAPPY EASTER!!! I hope you have a blessed day as you celebrate the new life that lies before us... Now, to other matters at hand.
As I read today’s lectionary readings, wouldn’t you know that the shortest – and by some people’s accounts most obscure passage – caught my eye today. The passage of course was the one from Colossians. Let me tell you why it caught my eye. The very first job I had out of college was teaching English at a juvenile corrections facility. As a result of my position, I spent a lot of time thinking about words and the way they shape our lives. Using that background, this week I realized that most folks think about Easter using one of two verb tenses. One group of folks think about Easter in the past tense – as a historical event, if you will – that doesn’t have tons to do with their life in the here and now. Another group goes in exactly the opposite direction. They think about Easter primarily in the future tense. These folks tend to understand Easter primarily as an event that has everything to do with them (i.e. “Jesus died for my sins so that when I die I will live forever and I will be reunited with my loved ones” – notice how many times the words “I”, “me”, and “my” were used). In the overuse of those two approaches (the “past tense” and the “future tense” tense approaches), lots of folks COMPLETELY forget about the present tense ramifications of Easter – ramifications in the here and now. Thankfully, the author of today’s passage from Colossians doesn’t let us do that. The author wrote: “If you’re serious about living this resurrection life, act like it” (Colossians 3:1 – The Message). Right here! Right now! The author goes on to add that one shouldn’t shuffle around in our day-to-day existence – absorbed only by the things at hand. Instead, one should look up and see what Christ is doing around you. In other words, experience the resurrection life here and now. The beauty of living a spiritual life in the present tense is that if you do it right, it seamlessly weaves the past tense together with the future. On this Easter Sunday, I encourage you to pay attention to what tense you are living your life: past, present, or future. Perhaps with a little help from the living spirit of Christ, you can spend a little more time in the present. Til next time…
First things first: HAPPY EASTER!!! I hope you have a blessed day as you celebrate the new life that lies before us... Now, to other matters at hand.
As I read today’s lectionary readings, wouldn’t you know that the shortest – and by some people’s accounts most obscure passage – caught my eye today. The passage of course was the one from Colossians. Let me tell you why it caught my eye. The very first job I had out of college was teaching English at a juvenile corrections facility. As a result of my position, I spent a lot of time thinking about words and the way they shape our lives. Using that background, this week I realized that most folks think about Easter using one of two verb tenses. One group of folks think about Easter in the past tense – as a historical event, if you will – that doesn’t have tons to do with their life in the here and now. Another group goes in exactly the opposite direction. They think about Easter primarily in the future tense. These folks tend to understand Easter primarily as an event that has everything to do with them (i.e. “Jesus died for my sins so that when I die I will live forever and I will be reunited with my loved ones” – notice how many times the words “I”, “me”, and “my” were used). In the overuse of those two approaches (the “past tense” and the “future tense” tense approaches), lots of folks COMPLETELY forget about the present tense ramifications of Easter – ramifications in the here and now. Thankfully, the author of today’s passage from Colossians doesn’t let us do that. The author wrote: “If you’re serious about living this resurrection life, act like it” (Colossians 3:1 – The Message). Right here! Right now! The author goes on to add that one shouldn’t shuffle around in our day-to-day existence – absorbed only by the things at hand. Instead, one should look up and see what Christ is doing around you. In other words, experience the resurrection life here and now. The beauty of living a spiritual life in the present tense is that if you do it right, it seamlessly weaves the past tense together with the future. On this Easter Sunday, I encourage you to pay attention to what tense you are living your life: past, present, or future. Perhaps with a little help from the living spirit of Christ, you can spend a little more time in the present. Til next time…
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He IS risen! I've posted my Easter message, Out from the tomb
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