Rochester, MN UCC - "The Truth of Easter Morning"

What is truth? This is the famous question that Pontius Pilate poses to Jesus Christ, just before he sentences him to be crucified. The somewhat cynical question fits the moment perfectly. During Jesus’ trial accusations are flying, there’s blatant dishonesty, people are taking up positions they have always opposed out of political convenience. It gets so crazy that the Jewish leadership makes the blasphemous claim, “We have no king but the emperor!” In the midst of all this falsehood and deceit, Pilate’s cynicism captures the mood, “What is truth?”

 The only answer Jesus gives is his silent presence. It is answer enough. During Holy Week and Easter, we retell and remember and recenter ourselves in the truth of the Christian faith- Jesus Christ. The eternal loving relationship of the Triune God is the foundational truth of all existence. This love is revealed to us in the incarnation of The Son and his victory over sin and death in the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The truth is that the love of God is all powerful and ultimately triumphant over all falsehood.

 There’s plenty of reason for cynicism in our world today. Accusations fly, blatant falsehoods are proclaimed as truth, and injustice is real and threatening. There is a real temptation to cynicism, to giving up on the idea of Truth. This Holy Week let’s resist that temptation together. Let’s find the bravery to honestly face the worst of the world as Jesus did on Good Friday. And let us renew and refresh ourselves in the truth of Jesus’ resurrection, the triumph of love, and our salvation on Easter morning. God is with us! Death has lost its sting! The Lord is risen! The Lord is risen indeed!

 Pastor Andrew Greenhaw