After Easter: Eggstend the Celebration

Every Thursday through the spring and summer months, a local company comes and mows the grass at the church. Normally, this is a rather inconsequential occurrence. One Thursday a year, however, it becomes a must see happening: the Thursday after Easter.

While the vast majority of the eggs were claimed by joyful children, there are always a precious few left undiscovered. What the children missed, the mowers find.

On this happy day, we watch with great anticipation as the lawn jockeys make their way back and forth across the spaces where, just days earlier, children hunted thousands of plastic Easter eggs. While the vast majority of the eggs were claimed by joyful children, there are always a precious few left undiscovered. What the children missed, the mowers find. When these plastic eggs come into contact with the metal blades of the riding mowers they shoot across the lawn like confetti and, for a brief moment, the Easter celebrations continue.

There’s an eggcellent lesson to be learned from these leftover Easter eggs. What should we do once all (or most) of the eggs have been found, the hams and potato casseroles have been eaten, and our bright, pastel colored clothing has been put back into the closet for safe keeping? What should we do once Easter is over? Much like undiscovered Easter eggs, we should extend the party and increase the joy.

This is what the first disciples did following the revelation of Jesus’s resurrection. Once the shock and awe of Christ’s return from the grave settled a bit, they headed out into the world to share the good news. It is, in fact, what they were explicitly instructed to do by Jesus Himself. We’re told that Jesus appeared to them several times over the days immediately following His resurrection, providing comfort and informing them about what came next. Three of the gospel writers record these instructions for us.

Mark writes, “He said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved…”

Matthew writes, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”

Luke writes, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Much like the lawn mowers at the campus of FBC on that blessed Thursday, it is our distinct privilege to spread the joy both far and wide, but we get to do it every day and everywhere.

The party doesn’t end with Easter; the resurrection is only the beginning of the eggcitement. According to the apostle Paul in Romans 8:11, “The spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in YOU!!!” He gives us new and full life that we both get to experience and offer to all who would hear and believe. Much like the lawn mowers at the campus of FBC on that blessed Thursday, it is our distinct privilege to spread the joy both far and wide, but we get to do it every day and everywhere.

So, maybe we should keep rocking the bright pastel colors in the days ahead. Go ahead and purchase some of that clearance Easter candy. Continue to celebrate because the Christ whose resurrection we celebrated on Easter Sunday is still risen and He is coming back someday soon. Easter may be over, but the party’s only started.