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Dear Easter People,
Alleluia! Christ is risen!
How many of you still have your Easter Tree up? You might be thinking, “Pastor Jim is a bit confused.” But I’m not. Though I rarely think about it as such, I do put up an Easter Tree – a white cross. My Easter tree goes up in my front yard from Good Friday to Pentecost to remind me, and others, about the good news of Jesus’ death and resurrection!
In the days of Jesus and before, what we call “the cross” was often called a “tree.” In fact, if you look up Old Testament verses that address crucifixion, they sometimes refer to crucifixion as being hung from a tree (e.g. Deuteronomy 21:22-23). In Acts, Peter was led by the Holy Spirit to baptize a Roman centurion and his family, Gentiles who were strangers to God. Peter followed the Holy Spirit’s guidance and taught Cornelius and his family the central truth of Christian beliefs, “They put Him to death by hanging Him on a tree, but God raised Him on the third day and made Him appear …” (Acts 10:39-40) And as Peter taught, the Holy Spirit came upon Cornelius and his family. He enabled them to hear, understand, and believe Peter’s testimony about Jesus … just like Jesus’ closest disciples. Peter immediately baptized them into the new Christian faith.
You and I have been baptized into the same Christian faith as Cornelius and his family. Like them, many of us are so-called “Gentiles” who were not originally part of the family of God. But, like Cornelius, by the power of the Holy Spirit we have heard and believed the gospel, the good news, Peter and all the apostles first proclaimed. And because of Jesus’ death on a tree, and His resurrection to new life we too receive new life. So maybe we should think about putting up an Easter Tree – to remind us about our new life in Christ and to help proclaim the gospel to others who are still outside God’s family.
He is risen indeed! Alleluia!
In Christ’s Love,
Pastor Jim