April 2025
Dear Friends,
Those of you who were at worship on Easter Sunday morning will know that I used, ‘magic’ to illustrate Jesus’ resurrection. But you see the Easter story sometimes feels full of tricks too - a donkey just happens to be waiting, Jesus dips his hand in the bowl just at the same time as Judas, a soldiers ear is restored in the Garden of Gethsemane and of course Jesus is nailed to a cross, his body sealed in a tomb, yet early in the morning, this man who should be dead talks to his friends and begins a movement in the world! Incredible!
But it is not finished because Jesus appears in a locked room, he walks with two strangers on the road to Emmaus, then he seems to vanish as he breaks bread with them. He tells his disciples to cast their nets again on the other side of the boat and they are overloaded with fish. He appears to people for 40 days and is finally taken up to heaven in a cloud. It all seems incredible - almost like magic - but here is the truth Easter is not magic- it is grace! Gods grace transformed the world that first Easter and it is still transforming the world.
Basil Hulme writes, ‘ The great gift of Easter is hope- Christian hope which makes us have that confidence in God, in his ultimate triumph and in his goodness and love, which nothing can shake.’ And Martin Luther declares, ‘Our Lord has written the promise of resurrection, not in books alone, but in every leaf in Springtime’.
The story of Easter is not magic it is the grace of God, grace that transforms us. Grace that offers forgiveness and love to all people. Grace that invites us to live in the love of God in this world and in all eternity.
This Easter season do not be fooled, do not be conned, do not be misdirected - open your eyes and see the glory of God in the risen Christ!
Every blessing,
Sue