KINGDOM COME | Easter Sunday

·33 min·3 clips

Why did the most world-altering moment in history happen in complete silence, with no one around to witness it?

The episode opens with lighthearted banter about gardening and theological humor, setting a welcoming tone for Easter. The speaker announces he will change his typical teaching style to focus on contemplative reading of the resurrection story. He observes that the resurrection in John's Gospel occurs in silence, with no witnesses except Mary Magdalene, who encounters Jesus alone in a garden. The speaker introduces lectio divina (sacred reading) as a method to engage the text, then reads John 20:1-18 aloud. He pauses to highlight that Easter begins in darkness, with Mary visiting the tomb while it was still dark, symbolizing lament and confusion. Listeners are invited to identify areas of 'death' in their lives, such as broken relationships, faded dreams, or numbed faith. The speaker shares a personal anecdote about a failed attempt to organize a world-record soccer clinic in Spokane, which was overshadowed by an event in Mexico City. He emphasizes the importance of honestly acknowledging grief, citing Mary's tears as a sign of power rather than weakness. The distinction between resuscitation (returning to the past) and resurrection (transformation into something new) is explained, with examples like Lazarus and Tabitha. The concept of the 'eighth day'—a new creation dawned through Christ—is introduced, referencing G.K. Chesterton and the Talmud. The speaker asserts that resurrection is God's work, not human effort, and connects it to the indwelling Spirit described in Romans 8. The episode closes with a quote from Frederick Buechner about hope beyond the worst, reinforcing the Easter message of new beginnings.

As heard by us

An Easter message that starts with a joke, wanders through a civic sports plan, and lands on resurrection as the final emphasis.

It opens with a gardening joke before swinging into a long civic detour about a proposed 1,500-person soccer clinic in Spokane, with Spokane Public Schools, the United Soccer League, a t-shirt company, and a downtown fan fest all pulled into view.

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Why you'd press play

If you want Easter talk that starts with a garden joke and ends with the eighth day, press play.

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