They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.
~ Acts 2:42
Now that Easter 2018 is in the books, what do we actually do with Easter? I remember my first concert (Rick Springfield), going to see Amy Grant and Michael W. Smith in concert, when my high school won the state football championship game, when I brought my mom flowers (aka weeds) from the yard before I mowed (and her reaction to those gifts), graduation, and so many other experiences.
Would you agree with this statement: “Every event that I participate in has an effect on me”?
The events I listed above, along with many others – both good and bad – have all impacted my life story. They affect how I perceive the people, world, and events around me. They inform my values and relationships.
Back to my question: what do we actually do with Easter? In other words, what impact does Easter – the death and resurrection of Jesus – continue to have on us? As with most things, our degree of involvement has a direct impact on the significance and meaning of events to us – who hasn’t heard “you get out of it what you put into it”?
The first Easter affected the disciples. As you know, they were afraid and remained behind locked doors (John 20), but, eventually, they moved out and began to tell others about the impact Jesus had on their lives. Acts 2 tells us of the gift of the Holy Spirit to speak in new ways so that others could hear the good news of Jesus…“so those who welcomed his message were baptized, and that day about three thousand persons were added” (Acts 2:41). The next verse is my focus for this article: “they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers” (Acts 2:42). Do you see the pattern that emerges: hearing, believing, and devoting?
If it’s true that every event affects us, what impact does Easter have on you? How does the hearing, believing, and devoting pattern play out in your life?
In Christ,
Pastor Jeff
Epicurious Lutheran 