Fences

Easter Sunday morning dawned sunny and beautiful. Flowers were a rainbow of color. The green grass of the church lawn was manicured. Everything was ready for the most important day on the Christian church calendar—well, almost ready!

The church parking lot was filling up fast. The church crowd streamed into the church for the 11 AM service. Some had arrived early to visit and have coffee with friends and to get their favorite seat. All were dressed in their Easter best, wearing new dresses, suits and ties. Shoes were shined, hair combed and coiffed. Compliments flowed with audible “oohs and aahs” of approval. It was a scene of busy, busy, busy everywhere.

The ushers escorted people down to their seats. As 11 o’clock neared, all the seats in each pew were filled; even the overflow seats at the back and in the balcony were full.

As the church bell sounded its 11th ring, a shabbily dressed, unkempt elderly man showed up at the church entrance and began to shuffle down the aisle. One of the ushers hesitantly followed the man down the aisle, not knowing where he would find him a seat. The church was truly packed—all seats in the pews were taken.

The unshaven old man walked down to the front of the church and sat down on the floor at the end of the aisle. The usher, not knowing where even he could find a seat, sat down next to the old man.

The choir sang and the pastor gave an inspiring sermon. The offering plates were passed and soon were piled high with money and checks. When the plate came to the old man, he placed a nickel, a dime and six pennies in it.

The service ended. Everyone exited the sanctuary, greeting, hugging, and talking with one another—but not the old man. He was avoided and ignored – he wasn’t acceptable to this crowd. They didn’t want to contaminate themselves or their new clothes.

The usher helped the old man to stand up and said a few words to him and thanked him for coming. The old man put his hands to his ears, and it was then the usher realized the man had difficulty hearing and hadn’t heard much of the message of the sermon.

Then the old man said a few foreign words to the usher. It was obvious he didn’t know much English either and hadn’t understood much of the message. So, why had the old man come to the church? TO WORSHIP HIS RESURRECTED LIVING LORD!! His focus had been totally directed towards God, oblivious of anything or anyone else.

There were many FENCES in place that morning—FENCES separated people from one another. FENCES blocked the true message from the Lord—a FENCE around the pulpit. Minds were FENCED in to thoughts of the world around them and not of the lasting and eternal. There were FENCES of uncaring negligence. FENCES existed to avoid others who would like to be friends; other FENCES unknowingly “wounded” others so they would never return to that church. Let’s take down the FENCES! Be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you. At least one soul looked through the fence pickets that day and experienced the true meaning of Easter!

Easter has become an egg buy’n, bunny hop’n, candy snack’n, money make’n event. Weeks are spent dye’n eggs, shop’n for clothes and cook’n a family meal, but only a couple hours are spent thanking Jesus for His sacrifice.

Living in a post-crucifixion world means we’ve received God’s forgiveness and we’re at peace with Him in every way. But we need to be living in a post-resurrection world, too, as the resurrection gave us victory over sin and an unbreakable spiritual union with Jesus. How miraculous it is to be totally forgiven and to live under grace as a new creation! But maybe it’s time we now focus on what it means to have new life — His resurrection life in us, here and now.

Have you considered that eternal life is more than everlasting life? Everlasting life is life with no end. But the word “eternal” means “having no beginning and no end.” Whose life is the only life with no beginning? God’s life, of course. To have eternal life is to have the life of God Himself within you!

So, the gift of eternal life is not your life made longer. And eternal life is not your life made better. Eternal life is actually Christ’s life. Whoever has the Son has the life. Having eternal life is having the Son’s life. The life lost in Eden is restored to us in Christ.