Easter

We celebrated our Easter services this past Sunday. The sermon for the day can be found here.

For a brief period after we were first married my wife and I attended an Elim Pentecostal Church in West Kirby, England. The Elim denomination had purchased the building from the Presbyterians and the notice board outside still declared itself Welsh Presbyterian, so our first visits were somewhat of a case of mistaken identity. However we enjoyed the exuberance of their worship and the warmth of their welcome.

Pentecostal theology emphasizes the present work of the Holy Spirit as being evidence of the reality of Christ’s living presence. One of the abiding memories of worshiping there was hearing Ray, one of the elders, singing his favorite hymn from the Pentecostal songbook. Ray had a booming voice that would fit well in any operatic production, and his countenance as he sang always expressed intense emotions.

As we celebrate this Easter season of resurrection I still hear echoes of Ray singing with all his might…

“He lives, He lives, Christ Jesus lives today
And He walks with me and He talks with me
Along life’s narrow way,
He lives, He lives, Salvation to impart
You ask me how I know He lives,
He lives within my heart.”

The simplicity of the words express a divine truth. That the truth of resurrection is one we need to capture at the center of our being. It is from our center in Christ that we reach out to others, ‘imparting salvation’ through our service.

Prayer : Lord, it as we allow Your love to transform us that we recognize Your presence within. It is as we work with You in serving others that our faith is confirmed. Help us to be Easter people with resurrection as our song. Amen.