Easter Sunday, April 17, will soon be here and I am very excited!  Not only is it a beautiful time of the year in Northeast Mississippi, but it is also a time like none other in terms of seeing people gather to worship.  Sometimes I hear Christians who regularly attend a local congregation criticizing those folks who only attend worship on Christmas and Easter.  Obviously, I, and God, by the way, would prefer for all His children to make weekly worship attendance a major priority in their lives.  One of the lessons I recently learned from being away from my local congregation 2 Sundays in a row because my wife and I were on a vacation is that the feeling of disconnection is real, and it can happen quickly.  Even for the preacher!!!

But the reality is that many professing Christ-followers don’t attend regularly and probably don’t have a local congregation where if they did show up, they wouldn’t be viewed as guests.  Being a person who has always tried to not just be good at pointing out what the problems are but rather offer some positive solutions instead, let me offer a couple of thoughts regarding this year’s celebration of the resurrection of King Jesus.

First, I am encouraging the folks in the congregation where I am the minister to invite as many people as possible.  We are making room in hopes of seeing extra people and having a special Donut Fellowship in between our 2 worship services to provide a friendly, positive experience to many who have some experience with Jesus but aren’t currently connected to a local congregation.  We won’t be criticizing the folks we meet or “remeet” when they attend on Easter because we see this time strategically.  In fact, much of what I hope to talk about that day in my sermon is designed especially for those who only occasionally attend worship.  I see Easter as a unique providential moment when the Word of God, a present person, and a warm and welcoming group of people could be the moment that changes the status quo in that person’s life.  This is what I am praying for.  I want as many Christmas and Easter folks to gather in our church building and I look forward to seeing how both the Holy Spirit and God’s Holy Church will envelope them with grace, love and Truth.

But I am also hoping to see folks who have no experience with Jesus.  I am talking about people who aren’t Christians.  I am asking all of our folks to invite those around them who aren’t Christians to gather with us at Easter as well.  Again, what I am focusing on from God’s Word will appeal to those who aren’t Christians.  I have been praying for some time about this day and the words I will get to speak.  And again, I know that God’s Word is powerful enough to penetrate and change the most sinful heart.  I know this because it penetrated mine and set my life on a radically different path.  But in reality, like me, like you, all of our individual lives in Christ started at a single moment in time.  One day we finally accepted it and it changed us.  Why couldn’t that day be April 17, 2022, for someone you know?

So, when you gather this Easter and encounter someone with whom you aren’t familiar.  Reject the notion of standing in judgment or being critical.  Perhaps instead, whisper a quick, silent prayer that this Easter might be the first day of their new life with Jesus!  Now that would be a truly great Easter!