Church Family,

What an amazing Holy Week we experienced!  I want to take a moment and express my sincere thanks to all of our staff and volunteers.  Your hard work blessed so many! Thank you to our tech team, worship arts team, and Crossroads Kitchen Crew.  You made Holy Week very special for our Church Family and guests. 

Many times I am asked about why we make such a big deal about Easter Sunday, or Resurrection Sunday, as I like to refer to it. Perhaps the best answer comes from the Apostle Paul as he was refuting the heresy that there is no resurrection.

1 Cor 15:12-22
 Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. 15 We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19 If in this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied. 20 But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.  ESV

The resurrection of Jesus lets us know that God has power over death.  It lets us know that Jesus was in fact who He claimed to be, God’s Son and our Savior.  The resurrection lets us know that we can trust God.  Jesus made claims that seemed impossible to mere man, but His resurrection from the dead proved once and for all that every word He spoke and every claim He made about His power and authority can be trusted.  

The resurrection of Christ gives us a first-hand glimpse as to what is to come for those who trust Jesus: everlasting life. 

It amuses me when I listen to someone try to give directions to a place that they have never been.  But when someone actually has experience going to a place their directions are specific and detailed.  They can describe the subtle things to look for along the journey.  We can trust Jesus because He is where we are going…  We can trust His words and instructions.  He knows the pitfalls and the blessings around us.  He coaches us through the trials into His arms…  What a friend we have in Jesus… 

That is why Resurrection Sunday is a big deal!   

Loving you all, 
Michael