Without the resurrection there would...
Illustration
Without the resurrection there would be no New Testament or early church. In Luke's
history of the early church he quoted one of Peter's wonderful sermons. This God showed
no partiality. His followers would come from every nation. The message which primarily
came to Israel had been let loose in the world. What Jesus did in Jerusalem and Judea
could not be kept local. The wonder of Easter forces us to point toward the great
inclusive word: All. This unhindered gospel was a scandal for the early church (Acts
28:31). Today we still give lip service to inclusivity. Yet, we know the most segregated
hour of the week may just be eleven o'clock on Sunday morning. Race is only one barrier
of many. Perhaps class might be the largest barrier of them all. The list of our
segregations is still long and heartbreaking. Easter settles the issue with this question:
"Can anyone withhold the water for baptizing these people...?" Alongside the lilies and
the hallelujahs of this day you might ask your congregation who it is that is left out of
your church as it celebrates this day of days.
