Easter Drama: 12 Voices

Today we highlight The Twelve Voices of Easter, which examines the events of Good Friday through the eyes of 12 different witnesses. It’s presented in Real Audio by the Back To The Bible radio ministry of Dr. Woodrow Kroll. Here’s a summary:

In Christ’s hours of dark sorrow, from His arrest in the garden to His agonizing death on the cross, friends and followers abandoned Him and foes assailed Him. Yet voices of faith and adoration were still heard among the uncelebrated players in the Easter story – a common criminal, a Roman soldier and a weary traveler. … The Easter story demands a verdict. Ambivalence toward Jesus, as Pilate learned, is unbelief. Will you join the voices of Mary Magdalene, Cleopas, Thomas and others, and recognize that Jesus is the risen Lord, the Savior of sinful man? Like Peter, you will discover that Jesus longs to offer you forgiveness and a second chance.

Christian Answers

The Resurrection has always been central to Christ’s claims and identity, the verification that He was “more than a carpenter,” as Josh McDowell notes. McDowell is a leading voice in Christian Apologetics, the branch of theology devoted to the defense of the divine origin and authority of Christianity. During Lent, as more people ponder the historical accounts of the Crucifixion and the Resurrection, apologetics resources can be helpful in equipping you to respond to the skepticism you may encounter in sharing your faith with spiritual seekers.

One of the best Internet resources on apologetics is Christian Answers, a ministry focused on “providing biblical answers to contemporary questions for all ages and nationalities.” Of special interest at this time of year is The Resurrection, featuring Easter-related questions and answers. That includes specific responses to the “six skeptical objections” most frequently leveled by critics of Christ’s resurrection.
I don’t know that you can argue anyone into the Kingdom. But I’m convinced that when non-believers ask skeptical questions, they do so because they’re looking for something to believe in. Having confident, Biblical answers to tough questions is a way to demonstrate that your faith is making a difference in your life – just as it can in theirs.

Resources for Reflection

It’s a good time to reflect upon our spiritual goals for the season, and prepare our hearts and minds for Lent. A good resource is Praying Through Lent and Easter, a collection of prayers and devotions from Fr. Victor Hoagland of Bread on the Waters. He belongs to the Passionists, an order of Catholic priests committed to “make a special promise to promote the memory of the passion of Jesus by word and deed. ”

Another fine resource comes from Richard Fairdchild, who maintains an extensive collection of Easter-related links as part of his Kir Shalom web ministry, where Richard has shared an Ash Wednesday worship service, which may prove a source for reflection or ideas for tomorrow. Richard has also put together a great Sermon and Lectionary Resource Site.

The Reason for Ashes

With the coming of  Ash Wednesday and the start of Lent, it’s a good time to examine and reflect upon the purpose of the ashes. The following overview comes from the Catholic Online Ash Wednesday explainer:

Ashes are a symbol of penance made sacramental by the blessing of the Church, and they help us develop a spirit of humility and sacrifice. The distribution of ashes comes from a ceremony of ages past. Christians who had committed grave faults performed public penance. On Ash Wednesday, the Bishop blessed the hair shirts which they were to wear during the forty days of penance, and sprinkled over them ashes made from the palms from the previous year. Then, while the faithful recited the Seven Penitential Psalms, the penitents were turned out of the church because of their sins– just as Adam, the first man, was turned out of Paradise because of his disobedience. The penitents did not enter the church again until Maundy Thursday after having won reconciliation by the toil of forty days’ penance and sacramental absolution.

The Upper Room magazine adds to our understanding of the tradition:

Ashes are placed on the forehead, usually in the sign of a cross, in a ritual known as the Imposition of Ashes. As the ashes are placed on the forehead, words such as these are spoken: “Remember that you are dust and to dust you shall return,” recalling God’s words to Adam in Genesis 3:19.

Welcome to Lent

Today is Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent. Our morning link today is the Ash Wednesday page at Annie’s Homepage, which offers a dazzling array of links on nearly every subject of interest to Christians. Annie’s Ash Wednesday page provides background on the use of ashes in penitential practices, and reviews Scripture references.

Easter Preaching and Sermons

The Easter season can be a challenging time for preachers, requiring messages that resonate with both members and newcomers drawn to the church for Lent and Easter. These resources may prove useful to pastors preparing messages for Lent, Holy Week and Easter.

• Sermon & Lectionary Resources: Excellent links here for sermon preparation.
• Easter Sermons: Topical messages from Martin Luther, John Chrysostom and present-day leaders.
• Easter & Resurrection Articles Archive: Sermons and essays about Easter from the Rev. R.F. Wilson of WilsonWeb.
• Sermons from Seattle: Holiday thoughts from Pastor Edward F. Markquart, the pastor of Grace Lutheran Church.
• Eighteen Easter Sermons: From Dr. Ray Pritchard of Keep Believing Ministries.
• Easter Sermons: A collection of holiday messages from SermonLinks.
• Easter: This message from Kenneth Baily of the Newton Highlands Congregational Church kicks off with an oft-used Easter joke.

Christian Easter Clipart

These sites offer Christian Easter Clipart and images.

• Religious Graphics, Ltd.: Clip-art, offers some Lent & Easter images.
• Images of Easter: Includes photos of the Garden Tomb in Jerusalem.

Easter on the Internet: Top Directories

Here are some other excellent sites that provide resources focused on the Christian observance of Easter and Lent.

• A Holy Easter: Tons of Easter-related links from Richard & Charlene Fairchild of Ontario, Canada. Recommended.
• Lift Up Your Hearts: Worthwhile, ecumenically accessible Lent, Holy Week and Easter resources.
• Easter ANd Lent Resources: An abundance of excellent links for the season from Christianity Today.
• Annie’s Easter Page: Tons of useful links here, including one advancing Resurrection Sunday (which also provides many interesting links)
• A Glorious Easter: Large collection of Easter resources for Sunday School teachers from TeacherHelp.org.

Shrove Tuesday

What is Shrove Tuesday (also called “Fat” Tuesday) and Mardi Gras? The Family Sourcebook for Lent and Easter offers some interesting background on Shrove Tuesday’s history and practices:

Carnival is from the Latin Carnevale or “farewell to meat”, and it is a time of joyful feasting and fun. The practice of celebrating carnival probably began in ancient times when the Sunday a week before the beginning of Lent was called Dominica Carnevala, or “farewell to meat Sunday” — referring to the Lenten fast from meat and animal products. The official day of “farewell” is Mardi Gras, French for “Fat Tuesday”. It is also known as Shrove Tuesday, which may refer to the diet being deprived or “shriven” of meat; or possibly that after the customary confession in preparation for Lent, one is “shriven” of sin. The famous celebration of Mardi Gras in New Orleans has become largely a secular festival, its religious meaning having been virtually obliterated in the revelries.

The web site also offers excellent suggestions for family activities for Shrove Tuesday.

Beyond The Controversy

You’ve probably read the news stories about megachurches reserving entire theaters for showings of “The Passion of The Christ.” Once you get beyond the journalistic hyperbole – which always focuses on the most prodigious illustrations of a trend – the fact remains that many American Christians view the film as an evangelism opportunity. In its special section, Beyond the Controversy, the United Methodist Church’s web site offers a look at ways churches can share Christ through the movie. The article includes links to promotional materials to build interest both inside and outside your congregation.
Let’s face it, the nation is talking about this movie (it’s number 4 on Yahoo’s Buzz Index. People are curious, and the church’s voice needs to be heard.

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