This Sunday morning churches all over will be packed. The old saying, “You don’t build a church for Easter Sunday” is really true. This is the day you get out the folding chairs and people park on the grass.
Little girls will be wearing their Easter dresses and little boys will be wearing their brand spanking new shoes. Where they still dress up to go to church, this is the day they wear their best suit. For those who normally dress more casual on Sundays, they will wear the nicer shirt….or blouse.
Easter is a special day.
If you are in the Christian church business, business doesn’t get any better than Easter Sunday.
This is the day we as Christians celebrate the basis of our faith – the resurrection of Jesus Christ. We believe just as He was raised from the dead, we will one day be raised with him and live eternally with him.
I think my understanding of the Easter story was taken to a new level in the 1990’s when I was a part of a passion play put on every Easter by the First Baptist Church of Butler, Ga. Our church was small by most standards but this was a large production. The last days of Jesus were depicted in colorful drama, as was His excruciating death and His exhilarating resurrection.
Most everybody in the church had a part in the play in one way or another that was held each year in the high school auditorium. I played the role as John and narrated the play. It was my job to introduce each scene from the perspective of Jesus’ best friend. I memorized a ton of lines but in the process I began to see the life, death and resurrection of Jesus in a different light.
It was life changing for me.
Our production, by the way, did not end with the resurrection as many Passion play’s do. Our play ended with Jesus on His throne in heaven. And each and every production, the play ended with everyone in the audience on their feet.
As the last scene (shown below) of that Easter play depicts, the message of Easter for Christians is simple.
No matter what we are going through or what we are facing or what keeps us up at night - we know the end of the story. We've read the end of the Book.
In fact, I’ve memorized the end of the book.
We win!
Happy Easter.
4 comments:
That was so wonderful to watch and brought back so many memories. Jimmy and I loved being a part of the passion play. Great memories! Thanks for sharing.
Diane M.
This is wonderful Bruce, I am so glad you put this on your blog, it really brings back memories, and it really made a difference in my life. Oh, if we could all get together and do another passion play. You didn't know during practice I was sitting out listening to you and crying. Ilove you Bruce. Aunt Bubba
Awesome. Thank you so much for sharing.
That is so awesome Mr. Bruce! Brings back so many memories. I was so young during the years of the play but it really helped me visualize the story of His life and better understand it. It seemed when we did the play Easter didn't last just one day but for like two months as we had practice after practice. I really miss it! - Allee Dawn
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