Churches empty, so is the tomb

This year Easter will be different. That is a fact. But the holiday is still going to happen. So what can you do? I have had a few people ask me this week what they can do for Easter this year as they are self-quarantined. So, I decided to write my column as a guideline to how you can celebrate Easter this year and remember a risen King.

To start with, I would still make a big deal of it. It was never intended to be about a bunny, candy and presents. It is all about Christ and celebrating the empty tomb. So first off, get dressed up. It may not be a new outfit but put on your best. Get dolled up for the King of Kings celebration and take a selfie as a family and post it on social media.

If you have little ones at home. Hide stuff outside for them to find. Use the little plastic eggs. Make it different this year. It does not have to be about prizes and candy. Make it fun. There is a thing out there called resurrection eggs and it has things in it like a rock, a crown and donkey. It tells the story of Jesus and his week, starting with the Palm Sunday story and ending with an empty egg and what that represents.

I would still listen to some worship music Sunday morning. Gather around your phone or tv and listen to a few of your favorite Christian songs. I recommend Bethel Music, Elevation Worship, Shane and Shane or Tasha Cobbs. There is one though that would be perfect. Nicole Mullen and Kathy Lee Gifford teamed up a year ago to produce a song called “A God Who Sees.” It is an awesome video filmed in Israel and looks very true to how things may have been so long ago. Worth watching.

OK, you might have to dust off the old Bible for this next one, or search for the text on your phone. If you go to the book of John and read from Chapter 18 through 20, it tells the story of Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection and the meaning behind it.

One other thing you could do is watch the movie The Passion as a family. I would not recommend this for younger kids because this movie is close to the violence that occurred to our Savior. But it is a heart-wrenching look at the events that happened that saved us all.

I believe in the book of Titus we are told that we will be held accountable for what we teach the younger ones, especially our own family. What a great opportunity to teach others about Jesus. A lot of times we concentrate on the cross. We still see Jesus on the cross, but the more important fact is that the tomb was empty. There is power in that emptiness because scripture is fulfilled because of the resurrection. That means that our King is sitting on the throne again, and if we keep reading the scripture he sends us a gift from the throne room and that puts the power back into us.

So take advantage of this time. You get to be the faith-filled leader of your home. Set the tone of love, power and worship. Tell the stories to each other. Share your favorite scriptures with each other. Easter will still happen. We just won’t go to church this year, but that does not mean church doesn’t happen. We get to see how church was intended to be from the beginning. Us teaching others. So yes, the church building will be empty, but so is the tomb. I’m Jess Saying.