Perhaps one of the benefits of an earlier than usual Easter is that now we get to spend more time than usual thinking about the resurrection; specifically how God through the resurrection empties the tomb in order to fill us and shape us and guide us as disciples of Jesus Christ.
Easter
texts were written and told in order first to bring judgment on a hopeless
world and then to save a faithless one. Such texts are prophetic, and those who
preach them are called to be prophets.”
Too
many times we confuse the word prophet
with fortune-teller. The origins of
the word ‘prophet’ traces back to a Hebrew word that also means ‘spokesman.’ So
rather than think of a prophet as a fortune-teller, maybe a better way to
understand ‘prophet’ is someone empowered by God (through the Holy Spirit) to
speak on behalf of God.
This
means that lots and lots of people - not just preachers and pastors – can be
prophets; and yes, this would include you. Admittedly though, this idea of
speaking on behalf of our Almighty God can be quite intimidating.
May
Easter be our starting point as the empty tomb of Christ’s resurrection fills
us with the courage to speak value into the lives of those all around us.
Together We Serve,
Pastor Mike