Dear Easter People,

ALLELUIA!  CHRIST IS RISEN!

There’s an old saying you may have heard, “Seeing is believing” or it’s cousin, “You’ve got to see it to believe it!”  But there is one place where the opposite is true. One of my favorite bands, U2, sings a song called Walk On that goes, “We’re packing a suitcase for a place that has to be believed to be seen.” It’s a song about where one will spend eternal life. A place that has to be believed to be seen.

Throughout the first Easter, the disciples heard stories that Jesus had risen, but they didn’t believe them. It didn’t make any sense to them. Until Jesus showed up in the flesh so they could see and believe.  But Thomas wasn’t there that night.  He still didn’t believe. And said he wouldn’t “Unless I see in His hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into His side, I will never believe.” (John 20:25) So, Jesus showed up the following week … so Thomas could see … and believe.  Then Jesus said, “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” (John 20:29)

We believe today, not because we’ve “seen it to believe it” but because our Father has given us faith through the Holy Spirit in our baptisms.  We accept on faith the word of the many witnesses recorded in God’s word.  As the scriptures say … as U2 and many other songs remind us … we believe … and so we see. And seeing through faith, Jesus tells us to go into the world and help others to see Him through our words and deeds of love in response to His love for us. 

Let us live our lives as disciples of Christ all year long that we and others believe. Then when Jesus returns, we’ll also be blessed by God to see … the kingdom of God, Jesus, and all the saints.

HE IS RISEN INDEED!  ALLELUIA!

                                                                                        In the Love of our Risen Savior,

                                                                                        Pastor Jim