Beyond Celebration To Actualization

Beyond Celebration to Actualization (1 Peter 1:18-21).

Holidays are extremely important in our lives. During holidays we eagerly look forward to spending time with loved ones and friends.

Today, we celebrate one of the more significant days in the life of the Christian faith. Yes, it’s on the calendar. One could say that it is nationally known even if it is not observed nationally.

On this day, churches throughout the land have some of the highest attendance of the year. On this

day, individuals usually look like new money. On this day, you have to get to church early to get a seat. Why, because it is one of the key events in the year for individuals to observe in a celebratory manner?

It’s good to celebrate significant events in our lives like birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, weddings, and even funerals when one knows that the departed brother or sister has died in the Lord.

Today Christians throughout the world are celebrating one individual’s birthday, graduation, death and resurrection. Yes, for the Christian, we remember that a baby was born in this life only to die for all of our sins. We also remember that the same individuals matriculated through this life and later graduated with the highest honors of anyone. He

received the highest marks for morality, character, sensitivity, love, peace, forgiveness, etc.

I’m talking about Jesus Christ now. So, it is good to celebrate today. But, as we celebrate, let us not miss out on what is essential. That is, there is definitely something to consider beyond this celebration.

Why is it that we almost get exhausted at times preparing for certain meaningful and key events in our lives? What is it that causes some of us to stay up into the early hours of the next day making sure that things are in place for a celebration? What makes us want to go home and be with loved ones during certain holidays? We all have different responses to the previously posed rhetorical questions.

Each of us in here today would approach those questions differently, but the bottom line is, we have our reasons to celebrate meaningful occasions.

What’s so good about meaningful and celebratory events is that you usually find people upbeat. Persons who you would normally not see, you see. Individuals who would otherwise not bother to be a part of something, make that extra effort to show up because it is a holiday or time for celebration.

The reason why I am taking time to look into this idea of lifting up or celebrating is because it is something that we all do and is a part of our every day lives. There is no getting around it. Birthdays will come and go! Anniversaries will come and go! Weddings will take place! Even death will make its presence known to us at some point in our lives, so funerals will be attended. These things are

inevitable. There’s no getting around them. But, is there more to this than just celebrating?

Could there be something deeper or greater for us to see beyond where we are today? I think there is. I believe if we examine our scriptural passage clearly we will see something deeper and far greater than just celebrating. Again, its good to celebrate. But,

what’s beyond celebration? Let’s look at the life, death and resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and you will see what I am talking about.

Here the writer is reminding the people to whom he was addressing this book. He starts out by emphasizing to them that they are not where they are in life simply because of material gain. Their redemption was not based on anything that one has the ability to purchase. No, it’s something that the human mind still has not fully comprehended and never will.

This writer wants them to go back and remember from whence they came and also recall how their

ancestors had to live. He further places clear cut emphasis on the fact that nothing anyone has done in their lives at that time or even before or after them

could do what Jesus did for them.

He alludes to the fact that there was one who walked in this life as a perfect being. One like no other, untarnished, unblemished, and undefiled. Perfect in all aspects. I’m still talking about Jesus!

So that’s why we are celebrating this day. We are here not to show off new clothing, although they look good. We are not here to show off our new hats, although they look good. We are not here to say, “See, I went to church on the day the church universal acknowledges that Christ was resurrected even though it is truly something to celebrate and be happy about.”