After Easter, What?
The day after Easter always brings joyful memories for me. In 2015, around 3:00am on the Monday morning after Easter, we raced to the hospital. My son was about to make his grand entrance into this world. By 8:30am, surrounded by young nursing students (one of whom almost fainted), Jackson appeared—kicking and screaming all the way.
Jackson picked a momentous birthday. The day after Easter is one which may be lost and forgotten at times, simply because we desire to get back to normal—whatever normal is these days. In less than 24 hours after celebrating the resurrection of Christ, we may find ourselves back at work, school, or the otherwise daily grind. Yesterday seems like a distant memory compared to those responsibilities on our plate today. Besides, we must wait until April 17, 2022 for our next go-round with the Easter story, right? A lot of water will go under the bridge between now and next year.
Not so fast! Remember that Easter changes everything. When Jackson came along, I was reminded that things are never the same after the resurrection. There is new birth and new life to be lived. After Resurrection Sunday, there is a Great Commission Monday. In fact, we learn in both Luke and Acts that the first century Christians continually worshipped after Easter, even switching their weekly Sabbath to Sunday in order to commemorate the resurrection until the Lord returns (Luke 24:52-53). If those first apostles had simply gone back to normal after the first Easter Sunday, then who knows what might have happened?
It’s ok to keep celebrating Easter on Monday. Why not celebrate it every day? If you do, then you may find yourself turning the world upside down, just like those first awe-struck, Spirit-filled believers.