Easter Monday

Read: Acts 26:12-18

This past Sunday in the adult Christian Education class we talked a bit about Easter Monday.  What is it, what does it mean, and why is listed on our calendars?  Easter Monday is celebrated primarily in Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic traditions.  It is sometimes referred to as Bright Monday or Renewal Monday.  It is celebrated in different ways around the world with the after affects of the resurrection of Jesus often being the focus.  That is where Easter Monday or Easter and beyond should encourage those who follow Jesus.  No matter what life brings, we can find new strength and power from on high because of this Easter truth. 

In Acts 26 Paul is on trial or being questioned by King Agrippa when he shares about his own resurrection encounter with Jesus.  He talks about the road to Damascus when he was struck by a bright light from heaven that caused him to fall to the ground.  Then the voice of Jesus speaks to him and tells him to “get up and stand on your feet.” Jesus then tells Paul that he will rescue him, send him, and use him to bring people from darkness to light in the name of Christ.  Jesus brought Paul himself from darkness to light during his own life transformation.

There are many other resurrection stories in the Bible that don’t necessarily concern physical death, tombs, and mourning.  There are stories like that of Paul that show how life can be resurrected from darkness to light, from depression to joy, from heartache to deliverance, from addiction to sobriety, from weariness to renewal, from tired to revived.  In fact, those stories are still alive today because of the resurrection of Jesus.  That is what Easter Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday mean to us as Christians.  We can rise up and claim that Jesus is alive and therefore we are alive.  All is not lost in a troubled world because God is the one who rules the world, and Jesus can help us to overcome the troubles of this world.  Let’s Praise His Name together for the never ending truth of Easter resurrection!

Make It Personal: What does it mean for you to rise up and claim this resurrection power in Jesus in the days ahead?  What does it mean for your family?  What does it mean for the church?  We will look at these things this Sunday as we consider the truth in Isaiah 40 that proclaims “God rules the whole earth, and the Lord gives us the strength that we need!”

 Have a great week, Glen Rhodes