CARDBOARD FOR EASTER

Every Easter Sunday, I feel this expectation that it needs to be special; that there needs to be something different, in order to mark the incredible celebration that it is. We are celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and it is the singular event that makes Him different and Christianity different than any other religious leader or religion. And, of course, this is not about a religion of trying to do enough good works to be known as religous; but it is about having a growing, personal relationship with the person of Jesus Christ. Therefore, Easter Sunday is extra special. It is one of the only times I cease whatever series of messages I am involved in, whatever book we are studying through, and I focus on Resurrection Sunday.


Last year, I wrote a drama that served as our message: a court trial, where witnesses to the resurrection, as described in the Bible, gave testimony as to what they saw. This year, I was not up to writing another drama, and it didn't seem that it is what God was leading me to do. Then, we remembered that a woman in our church had sent our pastors a youtube video months ago entitled: cardboard testomonies. It stuck in our minds and that was the first thing we thought of that needed to be included in our Easter service.


This is especially for all those who attend Grace Baptist Church of Westlake, Ohio, as I would like for you to consider being a part of this powerful testimony to God's grace in your life. Easter is about new beginnings, and about what Jesus Christ has done in our lives. So, I am encouraging every attender of Grace to give glory to God by giving a very easy, simple CARBOARD TESTIMONY.


What is a cardboard testimony? Very simply: you take a piece of cardboard or posterboard (I have posterboard in my office that any of you are welcome to take). That was easy, right? Then, take a marker and write, on one side of the poster a word or short phrase that describes a negative circumstance or struggle or hurt that you have experienced in your life. Then, on the other side of the poster, write a word or phrase that describes the difference Jesus Christ has made concerning that very thing.


For example, on one side of the poster, you might write: despair, attempted suicide; and on the other side, you might write: new hope, pursuing joy. Another example might be: working my way to Heaven (on one side); and then: trusted in Jesus for salvation in March 2009, on the other side. Hopefully, you got the idea. Every person, if they desire, can think of some way that Jesus has changed their life or is changing their life, in one way or the other. It just takes some time to think about it. If you need any ideas about what you could write down, please contact me, and I would be happy to help!


During the service on Easter Sunday, probably near the end, we will have everyone who is going to participate line up in the hallway outside the worship center. If you drop your posterboard off in my office, I can have it ready for you that day. Then, with an appropriate song playing in the background, we will come, one by one, to the center of the platform, and show our testimonies, without speaking, by showing each side of our poster. Then, we will go off to the side aisles to wait for everyone to be done, and then we will gather back in the front.


If you would like to see the video I first saw that gave us the idea for this, you can see it for yourself at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvDDc5RB6FQ

Watching the video may give you an idea of how you could give a testimony that day that can give glory to God. That is what this activity is all about. It is what our church is all about. Seeing God change lives and then giving glory to Him is absolutely the best thing we can do on Easter Sunday!


Thanks for considering how you can be a part of this.

Growing in Grace,

Greg