Romans 5:6-11
6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Indeed, rarely
will anyone die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person someone might
actually dare to die. 8 But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ
died for us. 9 Much more surely then, now that we have been justified by his blood, will we
be saved through him from the wrath of God.[e] 10 For if while we were enemies, we were
reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much more surely, having been reconciled,
will we be saved by his life. 11 But more than that, we even boast in God through our Lord
Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
Our Words Matter
If you had to compare this Sunday to anything else in the world it would be something like “The Superbowl of Church”. Easter,
Christmas, and Mother’s Day rival the biggest Sundays of the year but for the most part Easter takes the cake. I will tell you that I
still get butterflies when getting ready to give the message on these special Sundays and most pastors I know would say the
same. The pressure is on, visitors are sure to be present, and it’s often one of a few opportunities to engage people who may not
come the rest of the year. We prepare for this Sunday like no other and work diligently to deliver a good old-fashioned gospel
message that appeals to the hearts of every individual in the building. We want you to know Jesus and know him well by the
time you leave. It’s the Super Bowl, the World Series, the Stanley Cup, the Kentucky Derby, the Bassmaster Classic……gotcha!
It’s a big deal!
It’s also a Sunday unlike any other for families as well. Traditions are formed here that will be discussed for generations. One day
a loved one will talk about going to church together on Easter. Memories are made with pictures taken in front of elaborate
crosses and the words “He is Risen” are forever engrained in our hearts. There’s pressure to make sure everyone is matching and
on their best behavior as we wheel into the parking lot trying not to be too late. Again, it’s the Super Bowl of Sundays!
It’s the Sunday when our words matter the most. This isn’t to take away from any other Sunday, but on this particular day we
are bearing witness to the Resurrection of Jesus Christ; a foundational truth to the gospel and our life as believers. Who would
we be without Resurrection Sunday as a people of faith? On this day, what we say and how we say it is of extreme importance as
Pastors but also as the church. Our goal is to communicate the love of Christ and His love for us shown through the crucifixion
and resurrection. What if we removed words like crucifixion and resurrection altogether and dismissed the notion of such a
sacrifice to not offend someone in an attempt to bring more people into the building? Would it be the same? Would the day,
Easter Sunday, lose value or our witness as the church? How important are our words and what we communicate on such a
momentous day?
There is a very large and globally recognizable church that made the decision to not use these words in their Easter services this
week. Their explanation was they did not want to offend or use language that seemed offensive or harsh. This is not a judgment
or even criticism of their decision but only a different perspective. Our words matter, just as much as the day itself, the outfits we
piece together to match, the pictures we take, and the sermons we give. What we say and how we say it gives value to who we
are as God’s people. To cheapen it by not using language that is foundational to our faith does a disservice to those we are
ultimately called to serve and to our faith.
When we read the Gospels, Jesus does not shy away from using language that may have been harsh or not easily understood. He
was big on the truth. He told people in His sermons to eat his body and drink his blood, something they did not understand at
the time. He told them that the entire law hinged on loving God more than anything else and loving your neighbor as yourself.
On one occasion, he told a man to let the dead bury the dead and to follow him. These things seemed harsh and even offensive
at times. But these words mattered, to the original listeners of Jesus’ words and to us today as we gather for worship on such an
important Sunday.
From His perspective, which should be ours as well, the Super Bowl can not even begin to compare to Easter or any other
competitive sport. The resurrection wasn’t a competition to begin with, he was going to win, it was the ONLY option. We are
justified through faith and words like crucifixion, resurrection, the blood of Christ, and other foundation truths are not offensive
but freeing for someone who chooses to believe. Christ didn’t just die for the good man but for those who had not yet chosen to
love Him. It all matters, our words matter, and on this day we need all the words we have to share the good news that He is Risen
and He is Risen Indeed!
Keep The Faith,
Pastor Tommy
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