Resurrection Sunday 1996

This day reminds me of one many years ago. We had moved to England and attended a small presbyterian church. typical Scottish presbyterian style with no celebratory style of worship. But this particular Sunday, we had decided to attend Resurrection Sunday at Kings College Chapel. There were not that many people, so we were seated way up front, behind the screen. Time came for the service to start and the organ began playing. And we began singing "Christ the Lord has Risen Today" and streams of tears began falling down my cheeks. It was glorious. The music was so loud, blaring through the pipes in the walls. The choirs were processing and singing. We could sing at the top of our lungs, just trying to be heard by the most glorious and generous God whom we worshiped. The liturgy of the entire service was awe inspiring. Scripture readings were meaningful. and then there was a sermon....

Blasphemy. How dare he! Oh, I pray for his soul... the man stood up there and told us that it didn't really matter if Christ had arisen from the grave. We only need to have faith that He did. WHAT? That man had now completely ruined such a wondrous day. But my God is stronger than that.

And we completed the service with more beautiful music and singing, but things were now different. This man had now called down judgment on himself. The men in the choir who did not believe, but who had sung words of praise and adoration and then partaken of the Lords Supper, had also brought down judgment on themselves. Oh, Lord, have mercy on their souls...

Incidentally, as we walked in, the clerk (the man who guards who sits where) had sternly looked at Peter, who was carrying Emma, a not-quite-2yo, and asked "Can she sit through a proper sermon?" To which Peter wanted to say "Why yes, but I doubt I'll hear one here." But being Peter, he restrained himself, and said a mere "yes." and she did.

And so, after the service, we went home and celebrated the most meaningful day in history. The day that Christ conquered death!