Can you imagine how different our fellowship would be, how different Sundays would feel, if our whole church was living for the sake of God’s kingdom and loving the lost? I want us to pray for our church to taste and see that the Lord is good, that living wholly abandoned to him is the place of greatest abundance. Easter Sunday is one of God’s ways of spurring us on in this. Easter is so important to our faith and in our culture that it gives us all a reason to make an effort to reach others with the love of Jesus.

     Let’s make a commitment to give Easter away this year. I’m not saying we totally trash whatever family traditions we might have for that weekend, but what if we subordinated our traditions to the goal of seeing people experience the love of Jesus? Some of these people are actually in our families; others may be in our schools, workplaces, or neighborhoods. How do we give Easter away? (I’m glad you asked!)…

 First, let’s surrender. Let’s commit to Jesus that we want what he wants. Let’s give him permission to dream his dreams through us.

Second, let’s identify 1-3 people to pray for consistently over the next 32 days. Take 60-seconds and ask God to bring to mind some people for whom you’ll commit to pray through Easter weekend.

Third, make the effort to somehow care for those people. How can we encourage them or do something helpful for them? Let’s just do it!

Fourth, give up your Easter for them. Stay in town this Easter if we can, invite our friends to hear the gospel, include them in what we’re doing that weekend.

     Let’s ask the Lord to give us stories of his power working through us as we give Easter away.