If you're a Christian, you know that...well, you should know that, anyway.
I worked with a gentleman who was raised in a particular denomination from a child and was a faithful "clockwork Christian"...every Sunday he was filling the pews with his family no matter what.
So I asked him one Easter season what the big yank was...why all the hoopla about this Sunday as opposed to all the others?
After fumbling around a bit about tradition and family and Palm Sunday / Maundy Thursday / Good Friday and the like, the bottom line was he wasn't quite sure.
He knew of course it was a celebration of the resurrection of Christ, but so what?
What's the big deal about that?
The answer is found in the resurrection chapter of the Bible, I Corinthians 15.
It's there the Apostle Paul outlined exactly what the big yank is:
The good news that saves us is Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, He was buried and then rose again the third day.
And while two out of three ain't bad, it won't cut it in this case.
In fact, Paul explains if there is no resurrection - if Christ simply died and was buried and that's that - then all preaching is vanity as is our faith. Worse, we're actually a bunch of liars since we claim Christ rose again, and we're still dead in our sins.
"If in this life only," Paul writes, "we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable."
Thankfully Paul did not stop there:
"But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept." (I Corinthians 15:20)
The tomb is empty, so rejoice in this Resurrection Sunday, the harbinger of the good news that Christ is risen as will all those who've put their faith in Him.
It's been a cold weekend...only 28 degrees this morning...so that and a project at work going live this weekend has kept us close to home...not much shaking.
Did watch a couple of good movies...an old favorite, The Rocketeer on Friday night...
...and then a very fine WWII thriller last night, Allied.
By way of contrast, think of the content of our daily lives today, where our biggest decisions typically revolve around business meetings, wardrobe selections and restaurant menus.
Back then they waged war in a global conflict against a great evil burning across the continents, the outcome of which was anything but certain.
As such they literally made life and death decisions daily. Boot this choice and your life is over, and perhaps those of people you know and love.
Not a fan of Tom Brokaw, his leftist colleagues and the liberal claptrap they espouse, but he did get one thing right: they were indeed The Greatest Generation. We owe a continuing debt of gratitude for a generation that has almost disappeared from our midst.
If you do happen to bump into a WWII vet, be sure to stop and say thank you. You're free today because of their selfless defense of our freedoms.
later, mcm fans...
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