Pastor Rick Frederickson and His lovely wife Sue.
Are you ready?
Spring is the time of year when we hear that question, or ask it of others or of ourselves. “Are you ready?”
Are you ready for spring? Are you ready for planting? Are you ready for baseball, softball, or other sports? Are you ready for the first Tee-time? Are you ready for tax season? Are you ready for school to end and summer vacation to start? Are you ready?
Are you ready for Easter? Are you ready for the resurrection? For Jesus to rise from the dead and on to eternal life and glory? He did it for you. His life. His suffering and death on the cross. His resurrection. He did it for you. Easter Sunday is coming. Are you ready?
The women, Mary Magdalene and the others, weren’t. They went to the tomb expecting to find a body, the dead Jesus. Instead they found the stone rolled away and an empty tomb. And they found an angel announcing “He is Risen!”
Are you ready? Peter and the other disciples weren’t. They didn’t believe the women. And then Peter ran to the tomb and looked in, and went home marveling at what had happened. “The Lord is Risen!”
Are you ready? The disciples on the road to Emmaus weren’t. They didn’t even recognize the Risen Savior. Until, that is, he ate with them and took the bread and blessed it and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him. “The Lord has risen indeed!”
Are you ready?
The good news for us is the Good News of the Gospel – the Good News of the Word. We have an advantage of hindsight. We have read the Bible. We have heard the stories told and the sermons preached. We have sung the songs of lent and we have sung the songs of resurrection. We have the traditions we love.
But . . . are you ready?
Due to a myriad of circumstances, you may not have been in church for a while. You may not have seen or heard the stories of Jesus or sung His praises for a while. You may not have been together with other disciples of his for a while.
So maybe you are afraid. You are in good company. The women and the disciples were afraid. Jesus told them, “Do not be afraid.” And they worshipped him.
Maybe you doubt? Thomas did. And Jesus showed him his hand and side. Asked him to touch. And he believed. “My Lord and my God”
Maybe you think you are not worthy? Peter denied Jesus three times. And Jesus offered him love and forgiveness and told him “Follow me.”
We aren’t that much different than the original disciples, are we? We may not be ready. We may not understand. We may not be prepared. We may be afraid. We may doubt. We may not think we are worthy.
And yet, Jesus our Risen Lord offers us his love, his mercy, his forgiveness – and he offers us a new life . . . a resurrected life.
Come and worship him. Come to whatever church you wish to worship him in . . . but come. Come and celebrate his resurrection and yours. Come and worship your Lord and your God.
Glory Hallelujah! . . . Easter Sunday – Resurrection Sunday, is this Sunday!
You may not be ready. But ready or not, come!
—
Rick Frederickson, Pastor
