Egg Hunts and the Empty Tomb

There is no single greater event in all human history that compares to the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Occurring over 2000 years ago, the Resurrection has changed the world as we know it, and the quake of the empty tomb is still felt to this day. Untold millions of people have been changed and transformed by Christ’s resurrection, with many more as time continues to move forward. As Christians worldwide prepare their hearts in commemoration and celebration of this most blessed and holy festival, we in the West risk obscuring the Resurrection with activities that detract from its miracle. Bouncy houses, Easter egg hunts, petting zoos, and an incredible amount of marketing all aimed at hyping a church and gaining the coveted “first time visitor” is usual in American Evangelicalism this time of year. And yes, I am pointing out that this is a distinctly and uniquely Western praxis.

You don’t see Christians in Iran, Uganda, or even China market themselves as having the most “Epic Easter Egg Hunt” or somehow couple anything else with the celebration of the Resurrection. Again, the Resurrection is THE event. Sitting with believers in Pakistan, you will find an altogether different experience than the typical American church. On this Resurrection Sunday, you will most like be sitting on a dirt floor in a cramped room. There will be no stage, lights, or well-rehearsed music from the latest Christian worship group.

Instead, you will find a group of believers surrounding the Word and hearing about the message and the miracle of Christ risen from the grave. A few songs would be sung, prayers would be offered, and in these simple expressions of Christian faith, love for Christ and the hope found in his resurrection is clearly communicated as being enough. Is Christ enough? Is the Resurrection enough for us as Americans? Imagine if we stripped everything down this Easter Sunday and squarely put all our focus on Christ triumphant over death. Then, rather than put all the emphasis on attracting new people (or the people who only show up once or twice a year) and experiencing performance anxiety, we just open our Bibles, worship Jesus, and display Christian love.

What would that Sunday look like? Truthfully, it would like every Sunday out of the year. The fact is that the Resurrection is enough and has been for generations previous. The Resurrection, articulated through the Gospel, gives hope and the assurance of salvation to all who believe. Historically, there has been no need to associate that event with anything other than the preaching and sharing that message. As fun as they may be, egg hunts and carnivals cannot draw people the same way as only the Resurrection can. Moreover, why would we ever want to attract people with those things when we have already been given the most exciting and spectacular news ever? Death is dead, and the risen Lord has defeated it. Maybe I am too simple. Or, just maybe, we all should take some time to pause and to ask why and what we are doing regarding the Resurrection.