Easter Brings Pause

Speaking with some people that live around me has made me more aware of cynicism. No, I don't mean the cynicism of a successful Falcons season. No, I don't mean the cynicism of construction crews actually starting and completing their project in a timely manner. What I mean is the cynicism of why Christians are so quick to celebrate something with pagan roots.

This isn't something I had to deal with in Smyrna for the last several year. And yet, this isn't new. In fact, there are pastors who've created Youtube videos saying that Christians shouldn't celebrate Easter. Pastors. Men who stand up on Sundays with opened bibles telling people about Jesus.

The pause comes from recognizing just how crucial apologetics is for my community and others like mine. This pause leads me to consider the crowd that Jesus saw and heard as he entered Jerusalem on that untamed donkey. Holy Week began with the cheers and jeers from a mixed crowd of spectators and participators. So many moving parts with varied motives and perspectives watching Jesus do something that a forgotten prophet spoke to so long ago.

"Rejoice greatly, O daughter Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter Jerusalem! Lo, your king comes to you; triumphant and victorious is he, humble and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

He will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the war horse from Jerusalem; and the battle bow shall be cut off, and he shall command peace to the nations; his dominion shall be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth.

As for you also, because of the blood of my covenant with you, I will set your prisoners free from the waterless pit.

Return to your stronghold, O prisoners of hope; today I declare that I will restore to you double." - Zechariah 9.9-12

This too causes me pause. Jesus enters the parade triumphant and victorious. Jesus enters in humble. Jesus enters in to cut off and command peace. Jesus enters in to set prisoners free. Jesus enters in with reparations on his agenda to restore back double. As I think of the people living around me with doubt, despair, pain, disbelief, and whatever else that's led them to cynicism . . . I pause. They need to hear about Zechariah this week and beyond.

Hosanna in the highest!