I'm confused. It's the week before Christmas and I'm reading about the resurrection in John's Gospel. This happens every year. I like to begin preparing sermons several months in advance which at this points puts me around Easter Sunday (April 8.)
Some of my friends think I'm a little too forward thinking in my planning and they'll say things to me like, "So, Robert, do you have your 2014 Christmas sermon ready yet?" It seems like a lot of pastors like to use the college term paper timeline, although I hope they aren't pulling all nighters on Saturday night!
There are some real advantages to planning this far in advance. For one thing, it helps me to dream ahead to how God wants to speak a word of grace to us. It's exciting to think how God is already ahead of us preparing the way. Secondly, if I think of an idea that will need advanced preparation time, planning ahead allows this to happen. And finally, planning ahead, gives me a sense of peace in knowing that there's been a lot of time put into the planning of a worship service.
But even with these advantages, it's still a little weird to be thinking about Easter this week when I still have last minute Christmas shopping to do. Even so, I recall something the Scottish New Testament scholar, William Barclay stated about the Christmas Story. Evidently there is a painting of the baby Jesus and the sun is shining on him in such a way that a shadow of a cross is cast in front of him on the ground.
The meaning is clear. Jesus didn't just come into the world as a cute and cuddly baby. Jesus came into the world to be our Lord and Savior. So this Christmas Eve, as we sing Christmas carols and hold up our lit candles in a darkened sanctuary, let's not forget that the cross and the empty tomb are not that far in the future.
Merry Christmas and Happy Easter!
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