Trinity Lutheran Church - Town of Wilson

We Preach Christ Crucified - He Rose Again!

Posted by on 27 February 2010 | 0 Comments

The season of Lent, beginning with Ash Wednesday, is a time of reflection.  Herman Gockel tells of a well-dressed gentleman who stood in front of the display window of an art store, looking at a painting of the crucifixion.

As he stood there, a little boy in dirty blue jeans and a tattered sweat shirt walked up and stood beside him – also intent on the painting.

Pointing to the picture, the man asked the lad: “Do you know who that is, hanging on the cross?”  “Oh, yes, sir,” came the quick response, “that’s the Savior.”

And as he spoke, the small boy’s eyes showed surprise and pity at the ignorance of the unknown gentleman.  Then, after a pause, with an evident desire to enlighten the man, he added: “Them’s the soldiers, the Roman soldiers,” and with a long sigh, “that lady crying there is His mother.”

After another brief moment of silence he added: “They killed Him, mister.  They killed Him.”

Together they studied the painting in silence until finally the man tousled the boy’s hair affectionately and walked away, disappearing into the crowd.

Here at Trinity – Town Wilson and St. Thomas, once again this Lenten season we have the opportunity to pause and reflect at our special Wednesday worship services.  There indeed We Preach Christ Crucified and see our Savior who gave His life for us.  But the story does not end with Christ crucified, with the message of They killed him!

Gockel’s story goes on telling that after the gentleman had left and turned a corner, he heard the voice of the lad who was making his way through the crowd calling: “Hey, mister!  Mister!”

He turned and waited for the youngster to catch up to him.  Almost out of breath, the lad said: “I wanted to tell you He rose again!  He rose again!”

That’s the Good News we have – not only for Lent, not only for Easter, but for everyday of our life.  May God bless us as we worship together and celebrate the life we have – the life because yes, We Preach Christ Crucified … but also because He Rose Again!