Marianne, Rick, and the kids slid into the back row as the opening hymn drew to a close. Marianne’s face burned hot, hoping no one noticed how late they were. The kids had insisted on finding their Easter baskets before church, and Tommy took forever to find his basket. If it weren’t for the embarrassment of being late, Marianne didn’t care so much. Yes, it was Easter, and you had to go to church on Easter, but it was the same old story every year. She could probably preach the sermon. They’d been coming to this church for nearly 10 years now, and nothing ever changed. Then again, the Bible didn’t change, so why should the sermons? At least she had some quiet time walking the dogs this morning before everyone woke up. Sometimes she preferred animals over people.

            Another hymn began, and Marianne sang the words along with the rest of the congregation, but her mind wandered. The lilies, hyacinths, and tulips lining the altar were bright and cheery. Oh, the Parker twins had the cutest little matching dresses. And Avery Martin was just a few rows up on the right side. She’d have to catch her on the way out and get that recipe from last week’s potluck. Didn’t she just get a new kitten? Hopefully, she had pictures.

            The hymns ended, and an unfamiliar voice caught Marianne’s attention. That wasn’t Pastor Mike. She sat, along with the rest of the congregation, and gave her focus to the older gentleman at the front of the room.

            “Good morning, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls. My name is Reverend Peterson, and I was the pastor of this church for many years until I retired 10 years ago. You’re probably wondering why Pastor Mike isn’t preaching this morning. I’m sorry to say he had a bad fall yesterday morning and will be laid up for a bit. So it looks like you’re stuck with me.”

            Marianne stifled a groan. This old man was bound to put her to sleep. She’d better find something interesting to focus on to stay awake. It wouldn’t do for anyone to catch her sleeping in church. She started daydreaming about going to veterinary school, her dream for as long as she could remember. Spending all day with animals would be heavenly.

            “And today, on this Easter Sunday, I want to talk to you about animals.”

            Marianne startled in her seat. Seriously? She sat up and leaned forward.

            “Yes, you heard me right. I want to talk about two animals in particular. The rabbit and the lamb.” The pastor’s sharp eyes traveled the room. “Many of us focus on the wrong one on Easter Sunday. We spend a lot of time thinking about the Easter Bunny. About dying eggs and hunting for baskets, about having a big meal with family. Some of us focus on getting new clothes and dressing up for church. That rabbit is not what Easter is all about. This year, I ask you to focus on the lamb. Jesus was crucified during Passover. The Jews were very familiar with sacrificing lambs, but that is not part of our culture today.”

            “When the Israelites were slaves in Egypt, Pharoah refused to let them leave. So God sent ten plagues to change his mind. For the final plague, the Israelites were instructed to sacrifice a lamb and put its blood on the doorframes of their houses. The angel of death passed through Egypt, and the firstborn in every house died, except those that were marked with the blood of the lamb.”

            “You’ve heard that before, but have you every really thought about it?” The pastor took a swallow of water before continuing. “Sin is serious to God. The penalty is death. No exceptions. The Israelites killed a sweet, innocent lamb and wiped the blood on their doorframes. Could you imagine doing that? The only way the Israelites could atone for their sins was animal sacrifice. If you sinned, you had to kill an animal to receive forgiveness. But we don’t sacrifice animals today, a fact I am most grateful for. Jesus himself became the sacrificial Lamb. He served as the innocent substitute to take on our sins. Take some time today, amidst all your Easter traditions, to focus on that.”

            Marianne leaned back against the pew, her mind spinning. Why had she never thought about it that way before?

            The pastor’s eyes seemed to land directly on Marianne as he continued. “But today, especially, don’t forget one important thing. Lots of men have died, and many have been killed. But only one was perfect and sinless, and because of that, He was the only one who could pay the penalty for our sins. And even more importantly, Jesus was the only one who came back to life again. He raised others to life, but they eventually died again. Jesus rose from the dead, a fact that was confirmed by over 500 eyewitnesses, and this is proof that God accepted His payment. Don’t treat His sacrifice lightly. He did it to save you.”

John 1:29

The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!

1 Peter 1: 18-19

For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.

Dear Lord,

Thank you for the immeasurable gift of Your Son. Please help us treat Your sacrifice with the reverence and respect it deserves. As we celebrate this Resurrection Sunday, help us to focus on the true meaning of the day. In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.