Easter Day
Read Matthew 28:1-10; also 1 Corinthians 15:1-20.
Secure a small tree, not an evergreen tree, but a common tree with leaves just commencing to appear on its branches. This is the Easter tree just awakening from the grave of winter. Only a few months ago the winds whistled through its bare branches, and the snow nestled on its limbs in peace. It was to all appearances dead.
But the gentle sun began to shine, and the soft winds began to blow, and the tree life returned again. It was the resurrection day for the tree, and when the green leaves bloomed it was an Easter tree. In ancient times in a great gay cathedral far away on Easter dawn the people assembled to greet the return of Easter Day. The great choirs marched in, singing their glad tones. At the end of the procession the bishop marched, carrying in his hands a great tall candle five feet high and six inches thick. He set it into a stone socket on the top step of the altar. Silence fell upon the great crowd as they worshiped in the dark and waited for the dawn.
The sunshine was just commencing to creep through the cathedral windows and at last the sun's ray had touched the tip of the great candle. The bishop took from his robes a burning-glass lens and held it over the candle wick centering the sun's ray upon it. The wick smoked, then glowed, and burst into flame. The Easter sunrise had lighted the Easter candle. The choirs sang a hymn of joy. The people pressed forward and lit their pieces of tinder from this candle, and as they did so they said, "Christ is risen indeed."
They carried the flickering light to their houses, from which they lit their hearthfires. Soon the kindling caught, the logs began to smoke, the fire began to glow, and over it they cooked their Easter breakfast. Tradition says they never let it go out for one year, until Good Friday came again. May all of us take from this service today a Resurrection Light that will never be extinguished. "Christ is risen today," is an everlasting light. Let us live in this light evermore.
Miracle Day. May
Miracles are everywhere these early May days.
Just watch the new leaves come forth and you will believe in miracles. They seem so feathery that they resemble the wings of the beautiful butterfly. They are as tender as rose petals, and yet they have forced themselves through the tree's armor of wood, and not a single leaf is torn by the struggle. The days of miracles have not gone by, every day is a miracle day when God's May days return.
Remember the story of the miracle of water turning into wine. That was the Master's first miracle. But every time the rain falls on the grape-vines God is turning water into wine. If I can believe in the miracle of the vineyard I can believe in the miracle of Cana. In Cana Jesus did in a second what in the vineyard he does in a season. It was only a question of time. I believe in miracles because I see them every May day and every other day.