This morning, as I went to get a new battery for our high-performance minivan from the niche automotive specialists at Costco, I saw a guy walking out of the store with six hams. Six. I counted. In fact, I checked out what everyone was buying. People buy strange things. People buy things that don’t really match the imagined life story I’ve given to them. Some people buy too few of items. Shampoo and tortellini? That’s it? In the world’s biggest warehouse chain… that’s it. But, six hams was peculiar. Why would anyone buy six hams? Then, I realized that for whatever reason, ham is what people traditionally eat on Easter Sunday. This guy, with his six hams was clearly getting ready for the coming holiday.

But, that might be just about the only announcement about the world’s most history-shaping event. Christmas has lights. Christmas has non-stop radio broadcasts of carols. Christmas has a marketing machine behind it – gifts for everyone! At Christmas, there is massive build-up. But, at Easter, which is – in many respects – the reason for Christmas, there are six hams. Sure there’s a bunny at Wal-mart. There are a few candy items. But, there’s no song. There’s no irrational debt accumulation to celebrate the Resurrection.

There are six hams.

Easter is about a new life of possibility. Easter is about hope. Easter is about victory over the darkest and most painful realities of life. Easter causes people to really consider what they think about Jesus. It’s impossible to look at the Resurrection of Jesus and say merely that He was a wise, compassionate teacher. Easter is also one of the few times in the year when people are willing to come to church to face this reality.

This Sunday is Palm Sunday. Palm Sunday hopefully (and desperately) anticipates the ironic victory of Jesus on the cross and the shocking beauty of the Resurrection. As we approach these next two weekends, consider who, in your life is longing for an experience of Easter that is far more than merely a pastel-themed party, with deviled eggs, and six hams.

As always, I love meeting the friends you bring to experience what God is doing here at Mariners.

See you this Sunday,

Jeff