This is a special time of year. It is Easter, and it is the time when we annually see the appearance of the mysterious creature called the Easter bunny.
Now I am not talking about the cute rabbits that are sold at pet stores, or any number of other venues. Unfortunately, they are destined to lead short lives similar to their cousins the Easter chicks. Both will be lucky to see June 1st. I am also not talking about hollow chocolate shaped bunnies. On a personal note, I did not discover they had solid chocolate bunnies until late in life. My parents were too cheap to buy them when I still got a Easter basket. I am not talking about marshmallow bunnies, cream bunnies or candy bunnies of any other form. No, I am talking about the annual arrival of the once a year church attendees, or as I will refer too them for the rest of this note - Easter bunnies.
Like the bunnies mentioned above they arrive for a season, and then quickly disappear again, only to reappear in about another year. My point in this post is that this year with the additional attention from The Passion, and the general nervousness about our soldiers in Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere there may be more opportunity this year to turn our Easter Bunnies into regular attendees.
Now, I know that we can not save anyone, that is the sole work of the Father. However, we can definitely go out of our way to make visitors more welcome and accepted. Recently I experienced that directly in my life as some good friends of myself and my wife came to visit our church. Our friends are not the typical looking church attendees, but our church welcomed them none the less. Our fellow church members shook their hands, talked with them, and treated them like they were wanted. This was a blessing to me, because our friends were not sure how they would be received. From everything that I have heard from them they plan to attend as regularly as they can with us, and may even develop some church roots in our local body. This a great blessing considering that though they have usually been regular church attendees, they have not felt welcome at one particular body in a while. Their experience is not that uncommon today. Visit here for a while, then there for a while, never really involved, always searching, always feeling left out because they do not fit in with the other members.
If all Christians can take the same openness and acceptance that was shown to my friends, and apply it too those that visit this Sunday then we may be pleasantly surprised as too the results. I think the fact that most church’s have had to be recently open and willing to accept many new members and more rededications, due to recent occurrences in society, shows me that we have the potential to really excel at turning Easter Bunnies into regular members this year.
Know that I do not want this renewal for your glory, or your local church, or your local pastor, or your Sunday School director, or your Sunday School teacher, or your denomination, or any other earthly office or officer. I want this for a simple reason, the furtherance of the body of Christ. All I want is the body of Christ to be strengthened and expanded with the addition of new souls. I do think God is really working throughout America and the world right now. People are beginning to look at faith again, and a great thing is brewing. I want all of the world to share in what is happening within the body of Christ, and no longer dwell in defeated and dead end lives. If we continue to be devoted to His work, and will, then we will be blessed. Then His love will be reflected and shown to the world, starting in your home and your local church, and continuing around the earth.
Just wanted to encourage you too keep on keeping on at the work of honing the body of Christ to be the hands and feet of Jesus. Easter bunnies are simply me and you without the advantage of knowing God. If it were not for Christ I would be lost and wondering as well. It is by grace and mercy I am saved, not that I should boost or be proud, because the work of salvation was done for me by Jesus on the cross, and all good things come from the Father and He is a just righteous God that is constantly about the work of salvation and regeneration. He loves me, He loves Easter Bunnies, and He loves you.Matthew 25:31 "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
Matthew 25:34 "Then the King will say to those on his right, `Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'
Matthew 25:37 "Then the righteous will answer him, `Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'
Matthew 25:40 "The King will reply, `I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'
Have a great and wonderful day in Christ and His glorious creation, and go catch yourself a Easter bunny this Sunday where you can help change their life and where your walk with Christ can be encouraged.
