Planning for Easter

Variety, spice of life and all that, is the story of my past week. Following the euphoria of last week's royal visit I had to peel myself down from the dizzy heights of being in close proximity (globally speaking) to a royal camp fire and get on with my day-to-day. What I have found increasingly, is that my day-to-day is never quite so predictable as one might think for a country minister. This week I took a client deer stalking, hoping he would be able to take his first beast, then I was attending a course for those wishing to train dogs specifically for deer stalking purposes. After that I had to start planning for a couple of weeks hence when I will be taking a group hill walking for 3 days. Meanwhile, back at the homestead, my girls have started their Easter break from school, and so I have spent today fixing (finally) the zip wire across our garden, so that the landing zone is sufficiently long and high to stop little legs, before they smash into the birch tree that marks a boundary of our home. I thought it best I rectify that little issue before throwing my offspring off the other end of the line.

Ah yes, the Easter break. That should give me a clue as to what to preach about this week end. How do I concentrate on preparing for what is the most important time of the Christian calendar while trying to take care of clients, plan for future clients, get trained so I can provide the best service for said clients, take care of my family, oh and by the way, tend to the needs of my, albeit small, congregation?

To be honest, I have spent little time contemplating Easter this past week. Is that an awful admission for one who claims to be a minister? Should I not be pouring over my Bible, looking at every account of the crucifixion, scrutinising every commentary, so that I can bring something of real portent, a sermon of suitable gravitas to thrill, challenge, encourage and otherwise develop my flock (or should I say, the flock that has been entrusted to me)?

It was in the middle of this kind of mindset that I believe God burst in today and challenged me with a dose of reality. It went something like this:

"You will never exhaust the enormity of my death and resurrection, either on a global scale or on an individual level. Just preach Me, who I am, and those who have ears to hear will be amazed."

Now, that's not really a quote, but I hope you get what I mean. Put another way, as my friend and climbing instructor keeps telling me, "Don't forget, Russell, KISS. Keep it simple, stupid!"

I do not need to dazzle anyone with a new angle on the Easter story; it is simply stunning as it is. The fact that the God of all creation, the one true and living God, so condescended to lay aside all of His power and authority, to become a helpless human, and then to die on a cross to pay the price for the sins of the world, not only that, but far more incredible, He chose to endure the total wrath of Almighty God as full and final settlement of the debt that each and every member of the human race owes, is unfathomable as a concept, and unsearchable in its riches. And yet, this is the wonderful life work of every person who claims Christ. By preaching the simple facts of the Easter story and how it applies to the every day of every human being is a job that no preacher, no not one, could ever exhaust.

Unfortunately we try to "move on" from that all the time. We get "clever" theologically, we get "relevant" relationally, and we get "balanced" spiritually. Jesus never acted cleverly, in the sense that He never tried to outwit people; He never debated at length His theological stance on an issue. He never tried to fit in with those around Him. In fact He stuck out as an oddity wherever He went; He did not fit in  because His home was not here, He was always looking elsewhere to where He truly belonged. By the way, where is your heart's true home?As a great preacher once said, "Are you dead to the world tonight, or does it fascinate you?" And Jesus was perhaps the most unbalanced human being in the history of the world. Indeed the attributes of God rarely come across as balanced. For example, as Judge He will dole out wrath like we have never even dreamt of in our worst nightmares. At the same time He pours out love that says, "while we were yet sinners Christ died for us". That's not balanced; if He weren't God you would call Him insane. I love that my God, my Savour, my King is not balanced; He is reckless in His love, unbridled in His mercy, unfathomable in His grace, and wholly terrifying in His holiness and His hatred, yes His hatred, of evil. All at the same time.

There's a little snippet of the Easter story for you, as I see it at least. It's not refined, it's not clever, but I think it has a spark of life to it. It is also something I can marvel at even while I am out deer stalking, training my pup on a scent trail, fixing a zip wire, or planning tomorrow morning's service.

If you claim Christ today, ask a friend or a neighbour over to church, then invite them to lunch, and talk about how Jesus has changed you forever this year. If you do not claim Christ as the centre of your life, then read the Easter story in the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, and ask God, if He is there, to show up and teach you something about all of this. But hold on to your hat; I have found He loves to respond to such conversations.