"He Is Risen!" "He Is Risen Indeed!"

Easter Sunday 2005 was a special day for me. Easter is always special to remember and celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus Christ! However, this year was really good.

This particular Sunday started very early with a long dreary drive in the fog to a neighboring Church for the Sunrise service and cantata. The service impressed and moved me- not because of the good performance - but because I got the sense that it was not a performance but an act of worship!

Also, I saw quiet little acts of warmth and love there. When an elderly man with a crutch came in the pews were full, but one had an open spot in the middle. Normally the people seated would kind of pull themselves in so the person can push his way into the open spot. Instead, these people slid in and gave him the aisle seat. Another loving act happened was when my son and I were sharing a hymnal; the man down the pew from us was concerned that I might have needed one of my own, so he gave me his hymnal. I did not need it, but I really appreciated that thoughtfulness. I saw other examples happening beside these. This kind of warmth, friendliness, and love really ministered to me.

This special time of worship, warmth, and love were so wonderful that they opened my eyes to something that bothered me for the first time ever. Different times in the morning people wished me a “Happy Easter”; I did it too. However this year, coming out of special times with God in worship - celebrating the most incredible event in history: the Cross and the Resurrection, when it happened it hit me as so trite and shallow. Now do not get me wrong I am not saying the people saying it are bad or anything. Instead, it is the common expression that has problems.

First, the Resurrection goes way beyond happy! It is the powerful event in history. It transformed the life of Peter and so many others that very day. The two disciples coming back from Emmaus were way beyond happy! It is the event that Jesus Christ “through the Spirit of holiness was declared with power to be the Son of God by his resurrection from the dead” {Romans 1:4} With that power and ability to transform lives, it goes way beyond mere happiness.

There is the older problem with Easter that Harpers Bible Dictionary sums up this way: “The name ‘Easter’ derives from the Anglo-Saxon goddess of Spring (Eostre or Ostara), but the Christian festival developed from the Jewish Passover, because according to the Gospels the events of Jesus’ last days took place at the time of Passover.” So we have origins of a pagan celebration of Easter that has been merged with aspects of the Christian celebration, and yet has kept the pagan name.

Greeting each other with “Happy Easter” had never hit me like this before, so it has caused me to do some thinking about the whole Holy Day. This reflecting has been profitable. However, a problem remained what greeting or expression should I be using instead? “Good morning” or “I hope you have a great day” do not do an adequate job. So far, I have only come up with one expression that comes close to catching what the day is about and it is not original with me. It is the ancient Resurrection Day expression “He is risen!” answered with “He is risen indeed!”

This Resurrection Sunday, bask in the power and love of the risen Lord, Jesus Christ, God the Son.

Written by Rev. Daniel B. Baker March 2005



Articles by Rev. Daniel B. Baker :: Webmaster: Joseph I. Baker