Easter Sunday- what is the point?

[jrdnoland]

I did not preach an "Easter" sermon today (my text was Matthew 27:1-5 -- Judas remorse and suicide after betraying Jesus). I suspect there may have been some grumbling over my breaking with "tradition" (I didn't do it last year -- I was preaching through John 6, though the passage did relate to the promise of the resurrection). I did mention the resurrection as I contrasted the two men who died on trees -- Judas who remained dead and Christ who rose again.

Tim, my church did the same thing as you, we continued with our exegesis of Titus in the morning and of Nehemiah in the afternoon.

While I understand not wanting to give Easter or Christmas special recognition; my only concern is the mass of basically unchurched people that normally come to churches on these holidays. Is it not wise to teach them the true meanings of these holidays?

I haven't been reformed very long and this is one of the reformed aspects that I have a little trouble understanding. We certainly don't want to become seeker friendly churches, but can't we at least taylor the messages to reach the most people?

 

[KMK]

In the FP Church of Scotland, you will not hear resurrection sermons or birth of Christ sermons timed to coincide with "Easter" or "Christmas."

It is an overreaction to place this unconfessional restriction on the preacher. The preacher should be free to preach about whatever doctrine he deems proper on any given Lord's Day.

 

[KMK]

In the FP Church of Scotland, you will not hear resurrection sermons or birth of Christ sermons timed to coincide with "Easter" or "Christmas."

It is an overreaction to place this unconfessional restriction on the preacher. The preacher should be free to preach about whatever doctrine he deems proper on any given Lord's Day.

I don't think she's saying that they're bound by denominational stricture not to teach on aforementioned doctrines, but rather that it's just something that's not done by the ministers.

If they are not restricted from preaching the doctrine of resurrection on Easter, then why is it "you will not hear resurrection sermons" coinciding with Easter? If preachers feel free to preach about the resurrection 51 weeks out of the year, but restrict themselves 1 week because it happens to be Easter, they are allowing a calendar to dictate what they can and cannot preach.

 

[JML]

In the FP Church of Scotland, you will not hear resurrection sermons or birth of Christ sermons timed to coincide with "Easter" or "Christmas."

It is an overreaction to place this unconfessional restriction on the preacher. The preacher should be free to preach about whatever doctrine he deems proper on any given Lord's Day.

I don't think she's saying that they're bound by denominational stricture not to teach on aforementioned doctrines, but rather that it's just something that's not done by the ministers.

If they are not restricted from preaching the doctrine of resurrection on Easter, then why is it "you will not hear resurrection sermons" coinciding with Easter? If preachers feel free to preach about the resurrection 51 weeks out of the year, but restrict themselves 1 week because it happens to be Easter, they are allowing a calendar to dictate what they can and cannot preach.

I took it to mean that it is not common practice.

 

[CNJ]

RTaron, Grandpa,
Maybe the point is family gatherings with non-Reformed relatives--making memories with kin. Could that be? Monday I blogged about it on this PB.

 

[Christoffer]

Rejoice that you can go to church and hear the Word on easter sunday. Where I live, good friday and monday are so emphasized that there are no services on sunday...

According to the lutheran church calendar, the week leading up to good friday is called the "quiet week". During this there are activities in the churches every night. When sunday comes, the churches are empty. grrr

Again we can conclude that calvinism destroyed my life

 

[RTaron]

RTaron, Grandpa,
Maybe the point is family gatherings with non-Reformed relatives--making memories with kin. Could that be? Monday I blogged about it on this PB.

Hi Carol,
I am a big bah humbug grandpa when it comes to mushy holidays that are enforced by society. Especially when the traditions are having to do with worship. The only memory my kids get from grandpa around easter is, well, probably no memory. Like someone else said, it passes without significance and I think that is a good memory to leave with them.
I should have a look at your blog post though and see what you mean. Thanks for posting.

---------- Post added at 07:05 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:55 PM ----------

Rejoice that you can go to church and hear the Word on easter sunday. Where I live, good friday and monday are so emphasized that there are no services on sunday...

According to the lutheran church calendar, the week leading up to good friday is called the "quiet week". During this there are activities in the churches every night. When sunday comes, the churches are empty. grrr

Again we can conclude that calvinism destroyed my life

Hi Christoffer !
wow, you are in Finland! That is funny what you say about Calvinism destroying your life. My gramdpa is from Norway and he didn't like it at all when I stopped celebrating the church holidays. He pretty much disowned me. Talk about making bad memories.
I am thinking that church traditions and holidays are more settled and secure where you live. Am I right?

 

[py3ak]

While I understand not wanting to give Easter or Christmas special recognition; my only concern is the mass of basically unchurched people that normally come to churches on these holidays. Is it not wise to teach them the true meanings of these holidays?

I think the vital point is to preach the Gospel to them. In some ways, they are prepared to hear a Christmas or Easter message. I would suspect that makes it easier for them to distort it - whatever you say they hear the message of The Best Christmas Pageant Ever or perhaps, The Mole Family's Christmas (both very enjoyable books, by the way). But while if you suspect that you are going to have extra visitors you might want to factor that into your preparation or delivery by making sure to have at some point a simple and clear and apt presentation of the Gospel, it doesn't mean that you have to meet their expectations: merely that you should speak to the congregation actually present, not the hypothetical congregation in your mind (I used to smile at the welcome extended to visitors when there obviously were none).

I think when people are disappointed for not hearing a sermon on a certain topic on a certain day, it shows that they were probably hunting for a certain mood (as near as I can tell, that's the most quantifiable way to categorize what people want in holidays), more than seeking to hear whatever God the Lord would speak.

 

[TexanRose]

In the FP Church of Scotland, you will not hear resurrection sermons or birth of Christ sermons timed to coincide with "Easter" or "Christmas."

It is an overreaction to place this unconfessional restriction on the preacher. The preacher should be free to preach about whatever doctrine he deems proper on any given Lord's Day.

I don't think she's saying that they're bound by denominational stricture not to teach on aforementioned doctrines, but rather that it's just something that's not done by the ministers.

If they are not restricted from preaching the doctrine of resurrection on Easter, then why is it "you will not hear resurrection sermons" coinciding with Easter? If preachers feel free to preach about the resurrection 51 weeks out of the year, but restrict themselves 1 week because it happens to be Easter, they are allowing a calendar to dictate what they can and cannot preach.

Maybe because they're not preaching through a passage that deals with the resurrection proper that Lord's Day? I'm simply trying to say that I don't think she's saying there's an intentional purposeful avoidance of said subjects, but that there's no acknowledgement of the extrabiblical "holy day" emphases that are attached to "Christmas" and "Easter." In other words, the "calendar" they're following is whatever passage they're expositionally preaching through at that time. I'm sure that if a text happened to coincide on December 25th Lord's Day or a Lord's Day that many have titled Easter they would not shirk from preaching said text.

Yes, Josh is correct. I didn't say that "you would not hear a resurrection sermon coinciding with Easter," but that "you would not hear a resurrection sermon TIMED to coincide with Easter", and by that I intended to say that the pastor would not intentionally schedule his resurrection sermon for April 4th, in honor of the holiday. But of course he's not intentionally avoiding the topic on that date, either. I should have elaborated to explain myself more clearly.

 

[Christoffer]

RTaron (Grandpa)!

wow, you are in Finland! That is funny what you say about Calvinism destroying your life. My gramdpa is from Norway and he didn't like it at all when I stopped celebrating the church holidays. He pretty much disowned me. Talk about making bad memories.
I am thinking that church traditions and holidays are more settled and secure where you live. Am I right?

You are definitely right. It is almost heretical not to celebrate easter or christmas... to the degree that even unbelievers would react negatively if you did not celebrate those two holidays

 

[AThornquist]

If the preacher is faithfully preaching the Word of God on Easter Sunday then there is no issue whatsoever. Same with Christmas. The only time there would be an issue is if unbiblical elements are being mixed in like the Easter bunny or Santa Claus. The Word of God is the Word of God for the Lord's people, regardless of the text. It is as any other Lord's day -- the pastor may preach whatever text he wants, whether it's systematic through a book or topical or whatever. Refusing to break a rigid, systematic, verse by verse exposition through a book is just as much a tradition for some as teaching a resurrection message on Easter Sunday is for others.

 

[jogri17]

It does bring in more visitors than usual just because of historical reasons and you might as well use the opportunity to preach the Gospel and the need for personal saving faith in Christ and his redemptive work.

 

[RTaron]

It is as any other Lord's day

Is it really? Why do people come up to you can say "happy easter" ?

 

[Poimen]

It does bring in more visitors than usual just because of historical reasons and you might as well use the opportunity to preach the Gospel and the need for personal saving faith in Christ and his redemptive work.

I have heard this said many times but I have never seen it. And the latter could be done without reference to a worldly holiday.

 

[RTaron]

From Fisher's Catechism

Q. 13. What is the efficient cause of the change of the Sabbath.

A. The sovereign will and pleasure of him who is "Lord of the Sabbath," Mark 2:28.

Q. 14. What is the moving cause of this change.

A. The resurrection of Christ from the dead, which was "early on the first day of the week," Mark 16:9.

Q. 15. Why is the day of Christ's resurrection appointed to be the Sabbath?

A. Because his resurrection was a demonstrative evidence that he had completely finished the glorious work of redemption, Rom. 1:4; and therefore it was his RESTING DAY, Heb. 4:10 -- "He that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his."

Q. 16. Why might not the day of Christ's incarnation or the day of his passion, have been consecrated to be our Sabbath day?

A. Because they were both of them days of Christ's labour and sorrow, which he had to go through before he came to his rest, Luke 24:26. In his incarnation, and birth, he entered upon his work, Gal. 4:4, 5. In his passion, he was under the sorest part of his labour, even the exquisite and unspeakable agonies of his soul, Matt. 26:38.

Q. 17. Why might not the day of his ascension be made the Sabbath, as well as the day of his resurrection?

A. Because on the day of his ascension he entered only into his PLACE of rest, the third heavens; whereas he had entered before into his STATE of rest on the day of his resurrection; and the place is but a circumstance, when compared with the state.

Q. 18. Why did God change his day of rest?

A. Because his rest in the work of creation was marred and spoiled by man's sin, Gen. 6:6; whereas his rest in the work of redemption, entered into at the resurrection of Christ, is that in which he will have eternal and unchangeable pleasure, John 17:23. Besides, redemption is a far greater and more excellent work than even that of creation.

Just a reminder to everyone not to forget why we are meeting for public worship on this day.
I especially like the note in this catechism in #18 where God is said to have eternal and unchangeable pleasure in the day of Christ's resurrection, the "rest" day of redemption.

Have a blessed Lord's Day everyone. Celebrating His resurrection.