We don’t know yet, but there may be no churches open on Easter Sunday, the most Holy of all Christian celebrations. Much is made of Christmas as we celebrate the birth of Christ and the wonderfully uplifting stories of the birth in the stable, the angels appearing to the shepherds, and finally the arrival of the Wise Men. But Easter has far greater importance for it is the culmination of what began in that lowly stable. The baby Jesus was born to die for our sins, but if that were the end of the story, Christianity would not be much different than many other religions. Yet it is. Very different. And that difference is celebrated on Easter, the third day after the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, the day on which He arose from the grave, fulfilling ancient prophecies. Muhammed is dead. Buddha is dead. Christ is alive! He was dead, but now He lives forever at the right hand of His Father in Heaven.
And so, we rejoice at Easter, since we are told by Paul in Romans 8, that the same Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead will also raise us if that Spirit lives in us, if we are saved. As a song written some years ago by Bill and Gloria Gaither says “Because He lives, I can face tomorrow. Because He lives, all fear is gone. Because I know He holds my future, life is worth the living, just because He lives!” (“Because He Lives, 1971). This is hope that endures. This is hope that overcomes. This is hope that becomes certainty, bringing peace and calm to our souls.
I remember that as I child I would have a new, pastel-colored dress for Easter, often with white patent leather shoes, a little matching purse, and a color-coordinated hat. Our whole family would be dressed in their finery as off we went to celebrate the resurrection from the dead of the Son of God. Hats and patent leather are pretty much gone now, but Easter usually sees churchgoers dressed in their nicest clothes, and the churches themselves decked out with spring flowers and especially lilies. But what if that doesn’t happen this year? What if, because of fear of passing the Wuhan Virus, we are all ordered to stay home from church? In Virginia, the governor has ordered that no church with more than 10 in attendance can be open. Anyone disobeying that decree can be arrested, jailed, and fined, making his state remarkably like the former Soviet Union, China, and North Korea. What if that happens all over the country? What then?
While sad, the world will not end were that to happen. We must remember that the Church is made up of every Christian across the world, not the building on Main Street in Paris, Illinois or in Redmon, Illinois, or in Texas, or California, or Virginia. We are the Church, and while it is uplifting to our souls to worship together, and while in fact, the psalmist said “I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord,” we can still worship at home with our families this Easter if we must. We can read the passage from the gospels that speaks of the women going to the Tomb to finish preparing the body of Jesus and being met instead by the angel who said to them “Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen.” We can, perhaps, sing some of the familiar songs together such as “He Lives.” We can pray together, thanking God for His Son, for our salvation, and for our safety in this time. And if our church has the ability, we can perhaps watch an Easter sermon live streamed by our pastor, or if not, perhaps uploaded to be read from the internet.
Just as the Wuhan Virus will soon pass and life return to normal, so will we be able once again to return to our churches and raise our voices together in praise to God. But until that day, let us keep our faith in God and worship with our families or alone. God knows what is in our hearts and He hears our prayers. Stay connected with one another on social media and pray for those who need our prayers. And above all remember the verse posted by Redmon Christian Church today from Isaiah 41: 10 –
“Fear not, for I am with you;
Be not dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you,
Yes, I will help you,
I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.”