This coming Sunday, the world will celebrate the resurrection of Jesus. Here are some ways to get ready for that celebration:
- Spend this week reading the story of Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection. Read one of the accounts in the Gospels each day (Matthew 26-28, Mark 14-16, Luke 22-24, John 18-21). The stories may be repetitive, but you’ll be seriously ready to celebrate Easter Sunday!
- Make this week a week of confession and repentance. Today, ask God to begin revealing to you each and every sin in your life. Throughout the week, let God deal more deeply with you than ever before. Cleansed, renewed people rejoice more on Easter.
- Restart something. Maybe you’re far behind in your Bible reading plan, or you haven’t memorized scripture like you intended. Perhaps you haven’t kept your commitment to a date night with your spouse. Whatever you need to re-start, do it with joy this week. Renewal is what Easter’s all about.
- Ask somebody’s forgiveness this week. If you’re angry at someone, let it go this week. Offer a new beginning. Say, “I’m sorry.” Seek forgiveness. Show somebody what life in the resurrected Jesus really means.
- Take an intentional walk around a cemetery. I know that’s a morbid suggestion, but here’s the point: Easter is about breaking the bonds of death that hold bodies in the grave. Look around that cemetery, but then rejoice that there are no graves in heaven!
- See others with “resurrection eyes” this week. Begin to look at everyone with this question in mind: “I wonder if the resurrected Jesus means anything to this person.” Look at everybody–the store clerk, your mechanic, neighbors, co-workers, family members–this way, and pray.
- Pray for missionaries around the world who teach where Jesus is not known. Take at least one day this week to do so. They’re often living and working among people for whom Easter will mean absolutely nothing this week.
- Invite everybody to attend church with you this week. It’s Easter – so somebody who’s unchurched is thinking about attending this week. Invite a bunch of people you see, and it’s likely somebody will accept your invite.
- Pray more intentionally for your pastor. I’ve written elsewhere about the strain of Easter on pastors. Check out that post, and then spend this week praying for your pastor. Go to church this weekend knowing that you’ve covered your pastor in prayer.
- Live differently after celebrating Resurrection Sunday this week. Don’t let your commitments die when the weekend’s over.