“The feast of the Passover is our present festival, which has come to us, not in shadow but in truth. For the Lord’s Passover is not now a figure, but a reality . . . Let us keep the feast in a manner worthy of Him who suffered and rose again for us.” Athanasius, Festal Letter 4 (AD 332)
It is Monday, April 21. I feel the stupefied and satisfied fatigue characteristic of the day after Resurrection Sunday. I look back at the week and feel blessed beyond measure to serve and lead this church. Our staff – all of them – are very hard-working, conscientious, and serious about their faith, and they all have a great sense of humor (required). This makes working together intense and genuinely enjoyable. Our choir and musical leaders – what a gift they are to our church! This week was an amazing result of many talented vocalists, musicians, and accompanists using their gifts for God’s glory.
You may know that our elders come up with an annual goal as a church each year, based on where we believe the Spirit is leading us, what the needs are within our church, and how we might focus on how to make an impact. For 2025 it is: “Make the Ask: invite disconnected people into the life of Jesus and NAPC.” So many of you did this for Easter Sunday – praise God! A few stories:
- I talked with two adult sons of two separate family members of our church who came for the first time ever, or the first time in a long while. Both were blessed by being here. Both commented that the way the Resurrection was celebrated through music and message was powerful.
- I spoke with one of our members who invited a co-worker to church, who had already been invited by a guy he plays basketball with. I am not sure if Steve was here on Sunday, but the Lord had him surrounded.
- A 10-year-old in our church invited her friend and friend’s family to church. They planned on coming to the 11a service, but her own family came to the 9a. So that she could be here with her friend, she stayed for two services. That is a pretty amazing “make the ask” mindset for one of our younger evangelists.
I am so encouraged by many people in our church inviting many people to come and worship Risen King Jesus. It resulted in the most well-attended Easter Sunday we have ever had. But the real joy is in the worship of King Jesus Himself. As much as we have ever done, we “kept the feast in a manner worthy of Him who suffered and rose again for us” through three days of worship:
Maundy (“command”) Thursday – what a great addition to our Holy Week celebration. This was the second time we held this service, which reenacts the last night of Jesus’ earthly life before the Cross. People came forward to confess sin and receive prayer. We partook of the Lord’s Supper, feasting on Christ and experiencing His real spiritual presence. We meditated on the Passover’s fulfillment in Christ, and His command to love one another as we are loved by Him.
Good Friday – this was perhaps the most moving, powerful, profound, awe-inspiring service I have experienced in 20 years of ministry. The confluence of the architecture of the service, the choice of music, the execution of the music and singing by the choir, the Word of God read, preached, and above all, the movement of the Spirit made manifest the gravity of the glory of Christ crucified. The Bible uses the Hebrew word “kavod” (כָּבוֹד) in the Old Testament to describe the glory of God approximately 150 times:
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory (kavod)!” – Isaiah 6:3
This is what I felt throughout the service, and if you were there, I hope you did as well. From Maundy Thursday, the night of Jesus’ arrest, to the crucifixion on Good Friday, portions of the last 24 hours of Jesus’ earthly were highlighted. The service ended with the lights extinguished, the symbolic boom of the boulder being moved into place to close the mouth of the tomb, and utter silence as we exited.
Resurrection Sunday – the Day of days! I walked over from my house to the church at 540a. It was completely still, no wind, only the birds waking up to the pre-dawn sky. I imagine this is what it was like on that Sunday as the women walked to the tomb together. Were the birds joyfully singing out en route to the Jerusalem graveyard as well? Perhaps they, like the angels, were in on the secret that their Lord had risen, though the ones He saved had no idea at the time. The sun shot through the morning sky as we started our first service of the day and worshiped with a small group at the 7a.
I rejoice in all that God is doing in our midst. May we continue to see God glorified as more lives are changed by our Risen King!
PASTOR DAVID MILROY