Did Jesus Die for New Easter Clothes?

Today, Christians all over the world celebrate Easter - the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead! Churches all over America were filled to overflowing this morning as the once-or-twice-a-year-casual-attenders made their annual pilgrimage, in new duds and matching hats, to honor the King of the kings who died for their sins. As I looked around our sanctuary this morning, I wondered how many of them would be back next week. I prayed that they would have a radical experience that would change their lives, but unfortunately most of them will not give a thought to attending church again until the nativity makes its appearance in December.  

On Easter Sunday last year, my experience was very different than today. One year ago, I sat in a small Evangelical church in Trieste, Italy. There was no big worship band or elaborate lighting. No dramatic production with Biblical costumes and the people didn't come to church in new clothes bought especially for that day. The service was not projected onto screens so the people in the back could see. In fact, the room where we met was packed to capacity with about 40 people. There were only 3 guitarists and 1 worship leader. We sang old hymns from a hymnbook translated into Italian and participated in communion where we passed a loaf of bread and cup of wine.

Not very impressive, huh? Maybe not by American standards. I'll admit that there were not a lot of the things that we've come to expect on Easter in the US. But let me tell you what was there...

There was a room full of people who truly understood the meaning behind the day. The missionary who preached the service that Sunday asked the question, "What does Easter mean to you?" Then, Italian believers all over the room took turns sharing their stories of redemption. Tears flowed, tissues were passed, and there was an overwhelming feeling of gratitude that settled on the group.

You should probably know that it is no small thing when an Italian professes faith in Jesus and joins an Evangelical church. The majority of Italians are Catholic in name, but less than 5% actually attend mass on a regular basis. However, Catholicism is so ingrained in the Italian culture that Evangelical believers are often publicly shunned. Their jobs or business dealings can be jeopardized. Many times, their family disowns them. 

The believers gathered in that small church in Trieste that day had paid a price to be there. It wasn't about fulfilling a duty to be in church on Easter or Christmas. There were there because they were so thankful for what Jesus did for them that they couldn't imagine being anywhere else.

I think many in America have lost that feeling. The only price most of us paid to go to church this morning was getting up early on our day off. We are so saturated with the Gospel that it has become commonplace. There is a church on every corner, so picking a place of worship is like selecting a flavor at Baskin Robbins. 

Trieste is blessed to be one of only 1,500 Italian cities that actually has an Evangelical church. There are another 32,000 cities and towns that have NONE! That's why God has called our family to be church-planters in Italy. While we are only a small part of the solution, we will go and do as much as we can to make a difference. 

So the next time you pull up in your church parking lot or drive past a row of churches side-by-side, thank God that you live in a country where the Truth is readily available. Then, lift up a prayer for the 60 million Italians who don't have access to the true Gospel. The few Italians that have found Jesus will not just be at church on Easter and Christmas, but every time the church doors are open. Why? Because they understand the price that was paid for them. I pray that we Americans would be more like them. Maybe then Easter will be about more than just new clothes.