The Trump of Easter

 trump           noun              [alteration of triumph]

1 a: a card of a suit any of whose cards will win over a card that is not of this suit —called also trump card 

2: a decisive overriding factor or final resource

(Merriam-Webster’s Online Dictionary)

One of the challenges of writing a monthly newsletter is selecting a topic. What shall I write about this month?  Stewardship?  Worship? Sometimes the topic is evident, but the approach to that topic is not as clear. What shall I say about Thanksgiving this year? My dilemma as I think about March 2008 is an abundance of topics from which to choose.

Shall I write about the Leadership Retreat held on February 9? Over 40 people attended. There was much enthusiasm and excitement as we reflected on what we wanted Holy Cross to look like in 2013 and discussed what steps we will need to take in 2008 to bring us to that desired reality. Surely, folks would benefit from learning more about this retreat.

Or, should I write about the status of the WAVE project? Progress is visibly and audibly evident. And as I write these words, we’re ahead of schedule. In fact, some folks are already asking about when we will begin the next phase of WAVE which has a set of retractable screens mounted on the front wall. Surely, a number of folks would appreciate such an update.

Perhaps I should write about Easter. After all, it is more important than either the retreat or the update. Folks need to know about all the Easter events and activities. (Easter Egg Hunt - March 22, 10:00 a.m.; Festival Easter Worship - March 23, 8:15 a.m.; Easter Brunch - March 23, 9:30 a.m.; Celebrative Easter Worship - March 23, 11:00 a.m.) This is a busy time of year and surely we want to do all we can to get folks involved in Easter at Holy Cross. Yes, I’ll write about Easter! 

Yes, Easter trumps both the retreat and the WAVE update. But, wait, there is more to the trump of Easter than its local, congregational significance. The trump of Easter is not what we do on Easter, but what God did on that first Easter. 

In the resurrection of Jesus God trumped the powers of sin and death. On that Friday now called “Good”, as the bruised, bloodied, limp, lifeless corpse of Jesus was laid in the tomb, it seemed as if sin and death had won. All signs pointed to the defeat of God’s Anointed One. But on Easter morn, God played the trump card. In the resurrection of Jesus God triumphed over the powers of sin and death. The enemies which had stalked us from the cradle were routed, defeated, destroyed, and annihilated by the death and resurrection of Jesus.  In this Easter victory God bestows us with forgiveness, life and salvation. God’s Easter victory becomes our Easter victory. The trump of Easter has, by the grace of God, become our trump.

Alleluia! 

Alleluia! 

Praise be to God for the trump of Easter!

Alleluia! 

Pastor Jim