E.A.S.T.E.R. People

4-17-22Sermon Notes“E.A.S.T.E.R. People”
In an Easter Sunday sermon to the Diocese of Hippo, St. Augustine once said, “We are an Easter people, and Alleluia is our hymn of praise!” I couldn’t agree more! This makes me think about what it means to be an “Easter people.” It has to mean more than just proclaiming, “Christ the Lord is Risen…Alleluia!” It must be more of a core identity than just a proclamation. Being Easter people is about how we live…following after the Resurrected Lord…doing what Jesus would do…loving like Jesus loves us. Living that way will take an attitude adjustment for us, won’t it? It’s OK…we are in good company. In our Scripture for this Sunday, we see that Peter also needed an attitude adjustment to live his identity as an Easter person.
34 Then Peter began to speak to them: “I truly understand that God shows no partiality, 35 but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. 36 You know the message he sent to the people of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ—he is Lord of all. 37 That message spread throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John announced: 38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power; how he went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. 39 We are witnesses to all that he did both in Judea and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree; 40 but God raised him on the third day and allowed him to appear, 41 not to all the people but to us who were chosen by God as witnesses, and who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. 42 He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one ordained by God as judge of the living and the dead. 43 All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.” (Acts 10: 34-43 NRSV)
Being an Easter person is an invitation that is open to everyone – not just a certain few. That was a revolutionary idea to Peter, who had grown up thinking that Gentiles were “out.” It is still revolutionary today. It challenges our pride and our prejudice today, just as it did the early Church. Still - we are Easter people, so revolution and resurrection are part of our story! We remember that this Sunday, and we celebrate!
See you Sunday,
Pastor Sam