Kopp Disclosure
(John 3:19-21)
@#$%
Friends,
I’ve been thinking about
Easter since Easter.
A story from my friend
Eric comes to mind.
Peter greets
three people as they approach the gates to heaven.
He says they
can enter if they can answer one simple question: “What is Easter?”
One says,
“Oh, that’s easy! It’s the holiday in
November when everyone gets together, eats turkey, watches the Bears or Packers
play somebody, and we’re all really thankful.”
“Wrong!”
The second
person says, “Easter is the holiday in December when we put up a nice tree,
exchange presents, act nice to each other, and celebrate the birth of baby
Jesus.”
“Wrong!”
The third
person says, “Easter is the holiday that is something of a fulfilled
Passover. Jesus and His disciples were
observing Passover and then Jesus talked about Himself as the Passover lamb and
then He was turned over to the Romans by one of His friends. The Romans decided to crucify Him. So they mocked Him, beat Him, made Him wear a
crown of thorns, and then pounded nails through His hands and on to the
cross. Then He was buried in a nearby
cave which was sealed by a big stone.”
Smiling
broadly, Peter says, “That’s great! Go
on!”
“Well,” the
person continues, “every year the big stone is moved aside so Jesus can come
out; and if He sees His shadow, there will be six more weeks of winter.”
Psst.
Can you say
Watters’ World?
Get it?
Some don’t.
Obviously.
I’m always
glad to see so many folks show up in church on Easter Day.
O.K., I
don’t know many of ‘em; but it’s great to see ‘em.
Never know.
Maybe, like
the parable of the sower, something said about Someone may hit paydirt and, ya
know, they’ll be a little more regular between C&E.
Yet, truly,
I’m glad to see ‘em.
God loves
‘em; so sooooooo must we in a John 3 kinda way.
I’ll make a
confession.
My least
favorite time of the year is the first Sunday after Thanksgiving until the
first Monday after Easter.
It’s not
that I don’t, uh, like Advent, Christmas Eve, Christmas, Lent, Palm
Sunday, Holy Week, and Easter; and, awesomely, this past Maundy Thursday, Good
Friday, and Easter Day were off the charts with praise to God and thanks to
Bev, Mona, Karen, Alive Choir, sound crew, local pastors who love Jesus by the
book, and you!
It’s just
that there’s so much, uh, drama around those seasons.
My
counseling load goes through the ceiling; because people are so excited with
such high expectations of sugar and spice and everything nice that…
Well, I
think you know what I mean; because if you’re like me, you’ve got those same
expectations.
Truth is it
doesn’t always happen that way.
Truth is
there’s always somebody, uh, uh, uh, trying to ruin our parades.
I recall the
crank who said she wanted me to stop saying I’m “psyched” about life and
ministry on the corner of Lincoln and Main.
She wanted everybody to be as cranky and non-Galatians 5:22 ff. as
her. As we’ve become happier and know it
because we’re knowing Him better and better, light exposes darkness more
clearly!
You know
what I mean; and if not, I praise the Lord that you’ve been spared!
So after the
tinsel and Moravian Star and eggnog and Santa and manger scene and bonnets,
baskets, bunnies, and all of the rest are stored away for next year between the
first Sunday after Thanksgiving and first Monday after Easter, the only thing
that’s really important is…
Jesus.
For as we
recall in the book that’s about Him, that/this is what it’s all about anyway
for every day forever and ever and ever.
Jesus.
I know
you’ve read and heard it many times over; but it’s all about Jesus as so clearly,
concisely, and conclusively summarized in John 3:16-21.
That’s it.
He’s it.
When we know
that/Him, nothing nor no one can separate us from the joy of every day; even
those days from the first Sunday after Thanksgiving until the first Monday
after Easter.
So we’re
happy on Easter Day.
Not because
Easter Monday is hours away.
We’re happy
because Jesus is Lord.
We’re happy
because Jesus is Savior.
It/He really
helps on those days when…
You know
what I mean; and if you don’t, call me.
Eternally
better, call Him…now.
That’s/He’s
when every day turns into a holiday…with heaven awaiting the rest of our days;
and when we get it/Him, every day is awesome!
For as we
learned with the smiley-faced balloons on Easter Day during the children’s
moment in the second service – and you can still see the evidence in our
sanctuary – our happiness, holiness, joy, and eternal security increase as our
intimacy with Jesus increases.
We’re
psyched!
Every day.
Or as we
said on Easter Day 2017, “This day is every day on the corner of Lincoln and
Main!”
Even those
days from the first Sunday after Thanksgiving to the first Monday after Easter!
Blessings
and Love!
@#$%
Shatter the sound of silence!
Wake up! Look up! Stand up! Speak
up! Act up for Jesus!
Salt! Shine! Leavenate!
@#$%
@#$%
@#$%
@#$%
@#$%
@#$%
4 comments:
Very Good, Thanks Pastor
I had a brilliant idea to extend the Easter Highlight. A long time ago, on Monday morning after, I sent out a letter telling the congregation I was wrong. Easter Sunday is next Sunday. Those who say otherwise do not understand the equinox which I explained in detail with my changes. I closed the letter with a wish to see them next Sunday when we will sing the "Resurrection Hymn" again on the proper day. Result? It didn't work and lost for a while a group of family members who celebrated an annual family reunion on the week after Easter. There was a lot of confusion, and a need to make a lot of phone calls to settle on the date of the reunion. This was one of many times that I looked forward the Heavenly reunion. "Dear Lord, take me home, out of this mess" He said, "You made it. Now stay and clean it up." (One of the reasons we are still waiting for the Rapture) Peder
Good morning and happy third week after Easter!
Reading your article this morning with interest and a smile--well done.
In my thoughts this morning, I would agree with almost all of your "time between Thanksgiving and Easter". For me, that time between Thanksgiving and Christmas offers many opportunities to serve our community--SA bell ringing and Christmas food/toy distribution, IOU Club First Grade Christmas party and our IOU Christmas Shopping Tour, many Angel Shopping Trees Candy and I assist with and probably many more. Like I have heard you say many times, God offers us many opportunities. We just have to be attentive and act on those opportunities.
Hope God continues to bless your days!
Among the reasons why I love you, brother!
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