I am convinced that the work of God at Easter is far more difficult to believe than God’s gift of a baby in a manger. Easter calls us to believe what we have not seen even once, while babies are born every day.

I said those words aloud during a time of reflection and prayer. I decided they were worth writing down. Maybe. Maybe not. Regardless of the ability of those words to inspire, the sentiment is no less true. A baby in a manger is easy…unless your name is Mary. Easter, however, presents a whole host of problems. Resurrection from sealed tombs and beating hearts stopped and started again without medical intervention are much harder for our logical and proof-demanding world to accept, let alone understand. Yet still I believe.

We are an interesting expression of God’s love, we disciples of Jesus. Our holy book tells us to love one another; to pray for our enemies; to remember our Savior; and to celebrate his resurrection from the dead. Is it any wonder that so many have, over time, walked away from a relationship with God? It is much easier to believe we stand alone – this world is all there is and when we die, we are dead. The end.

And yet, somehow, this story continues to be told again and again. Through the words of Matthew 28, Mark 16, Luke 24, and John 20, the story of the resurrection of Jesus is told. Through the music of Jesus Christ is Risen Today and I Know that My Redeemer Lives, we hear the news of the resurrection. In the creeds of the universal Christian Church, we speak words of belief that have been spoken by generations of Christians from as early as 325 AD. If this story was simply a device to control people, or if this story was used to simply explain the great mysteries of the world at any time, then I would have expected the story of the resurrection of Jesus to just as simply fall away over these last 1,691 years since the first confession of faith was made at the Council of Nicea.

And certainly, as the story – told in hope and faith – has become too great a burden to bear, people have walked away. And yet, the story continues to be told. I am convinced of the truth of the story of the resurrection of the dead because I have witnessed the faith of far too many believers who have passed on the story to me. The resurrection of Jesus grounds me in this world and promises me a place in the next. I know there will be more days of fear than courage. I know I will suffer long days of doubt over belief. I know that there will be days ahead that will cause pain in this life. And yet, still I believe. As I said in my sermon a few weeks ago, the place between fear and doubt is the foundation of Easter and the power of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Still I believe, “Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!” They are words I heard as a child. They are words I speak over my children today. They are words of power – resurrection power. They are words that promise life.

Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

~ Pastor Chris Marien

(This article was originally published in Ascension’s May 2016 newsletter).