Well, if you’re a pastor I hope you got your Easter sermon ready for Sunday. And it better be a good one!
I mean, your sermons can be mediocre throughout the year, but you better nail it this Sunday!
That’s what you should do!
Letting Go of the “Shoulds”
It is really easy to get sucked into all the “shoulds” of the world, isn’t it?
- You should be a great speaker
- You should be a great leader
- You should be more compassionate
- You should be more visionary
Another word for “should” is “law.”
And that’s exactly what Jesus came to fulfill, isn’t it?
We don’t have to fulfill the “shoulds” that the world imposes on us–or that we impose on ourselves–because Jesus fulfilled all the “shoulds” and took them up onto the cross with him.
Resurrection and Freedom
I love Paul’s words in Galatians 2:20
“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me.”
This is in the context of Paul correcting Peter, who had stopped eating with uncircumcised Christians. Paul said, “What are you doing?? Don’t you know we’re justified by faith in Jesus, not by the world’s ‘shoulds’?”
The truth is, all of my “shoulds” were nailed to the cross with Jesus–“I have been crucified with Christ.” And in the Resurrection, Jesus says to all the “shoulds” of the world, “Is that all you got?”
Because of the Resurrection of Jesus, we are free!
- Free from the domination of “should”
- Free from the burden of “should”
- Free from the shame and guilt of “should”
A “Shouldless” Life
My prayer for you this Easter is that you would live in the freedom of a “shouldless” life!
You are God’s beloved.
Whether or not you preach a great Easter sermon.
Whether or not you inspire people to follow Jesus.
Whether or not you impress your guests with an amazing Easter service.
Whether or not you do any of the things the world tells you you “should” do.
Christ is Risen! He is Risen indeed!
