Today we celebrate the resurrection of this world's one and only Savior, Jesus Christ. Last night, as a tradition that my friends and I try to celebrate annually, 2/3 of us went to the Easter Pageant at IBC. We used to be dancers in it during high school, and I did it for a year in college....not highly recommended, but entirely worth it for the worship and the friendships that came out of it!
This year's pageant was called The Victory: Worth The Cost. It came from several perspectives, each person having something to lose by following Jesus. Alison and I were pointing people out throughout the whole performance and dancing along to the music that we had danced to in previous years! As horrible as the crucifixion is portrayed, that scene didn't bring me to tears as much as another one does: the raising of Lazarus! Seriously, it sends tears to my eyes now and chills across my arms remembering the choir breaking out in that familiar song. It was written by Carmen but arrangement by Rhodes...very peppy, gets ya moving! Jesus (Russ) calls out Lazarus, COME FORTH! "Lazarus! Lazarus! Laaazarus, come forrrrth! Lazarus! Lazarus! Laaazarus, come forrrrth!" A little more goes to the song, and then it's dead silence....why?....LAZARUS CAME FORTH! It just touches my heart, because I can see into this miracle so easily. If my brother died and came back - any of them - I'd be worse than Mary and Martha!
The pageant also showed an amazing portrayal of good vs. evil. They had an angel (dancer) near the tomb's stone. All of a sudden, the music got very eerie and the devil (a good friend of mine in real life!) and many minions came out of a dark entrance, all celebrating Jesus' death while the devil stood proudly in their midst. As they did this, the angel beckoned and an angel came from each side of the crowd! They came and danced alongside the head angel while the demons still danced their little celebration at the bottom of the steps. More and more angels came out until there were 7 all dancing around the top and middle stage:) All of a sudden the battle began! The head angel and the devil began a non-contact dance that suggest powers at work. Each of the other angels picked off another demon, leaving them scurrying off the stage back into the darkness. Eventually, the devil was pushed back with his minions and the angels celebrated, parting for the head angel to dance back to the top of the stage and roll away the tomb as Jesus (and lots of dry ice) came out! Unbelieveably marvelous!!
Thank you, Father, for this opportunity to be there and to see old friends from IBC. It pushed me to start reading my Bible again. This morning I read Matthew 26-27 with a fine toothed comb, questioning every little thing even if it might seem silly. I have questions about what the Scripture says, but not because I'm doubting it....because I'm READING it :) Oh, what a wonderful feeling!
I'm also looking for a good book/commentary on the 12 disciples: who they were, what their families were like, etc. I love comparing the 4 gospels, and I've always wanted to dig deeper to find out why certain men wrote certain parts of Jesus' life down:) Ooooh I'm so excited :D:D:D
He is Risen....He is Risen, INDEED! :D
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