Are You Dreading Easter?

The rehearsals.

The expectations.

The extra services.

The visitors.

The planning and preparation.

The full week of services: Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, etc.

It’s during this week – one of the biggest and busiest of the year for people who work at churches and/or lead worship in some capacity – when it can all get to be a bit overwhelming. We long for the ho-hum summer Sundays of mid-July or August when everything is normal and the pressure is dialed down.

If we’re not careful, we can get calloused. Just get it over with. Just get through it. Wear a tie, sing some traditional hymns, throw in some newer songs, throw in some razzle dazzle somewhere in there, and then take Monday off.

So, my worship leader friend, with the biggest Sunday of the year quickly approaching, here’s a quick heart check: am I dreading Easter?

Paul said in 1 Corinthians 15:14 and 17:

And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain…” “… your faith is futile and you are still in your sins.

Easter is a big deal. But not in the way church musicians think.

We can think it’s a big deal because it’s when the most people attend church all year-long, everything is nicely decorated with flowers, we have extra services, and people expect the music to be a bit more special. We feel the pressure of having to perform, and having to impress.

Easter becomes our time to shine and so we dread it.

But Easter is a big deal for a different reason: without it, our “preaching would be in vain“, our faith would be “futile“, and we would “still be in (our) sins“. By his death, Jesus has destroyed death, and by his resurrection he has won for us everlasting life. Jesus is victorious over death! We proclaim and worship a risen and victorious King!

And that King is who we exist to make shine this Easter Sunday, and every other Sunday, and every other day of our life.

Every rehearsal, every flower arrangement, every hymn, and every bit of preparation is all for the shining forth of Jesus this Easter Sunday.

And if we’re dreading this day and hoping to just get it over with – perhaps it might be an indication that between now and then we need to seriously pray for the Holy Spirit to rekindle a flame of passion in us for the glory and honor of Jesus. And perhaps, whether we realize it or not, we’ve fallen into the trap of thinking Easter is when we have to put on a good show.

We’re not in this line of work to put on a good show. We’re in this line of work to point to a great Savior.

Prepare and rehearse well this week. Get some good sleep on Saturday night. Pour yourself into your services this Sunday. May Jesus shine brightly in our hearts and in our services. Alleluia! Christ is risen!