Easter Sunday Jitters

I am struggling with the message for Easter. It is the day in which we celebrate Christ rising from the dead, but it is also the day we received a message we are called to share with the world (that Christ has risen). There must be balance in the way in which this message is shared with the congregation and all I am feeling right now is disappointment in their unwillingness to participate in the services we held throughout the week.

That is not the right tone to take with a congregation filled with once a year visitors and out of town guests. Yet...there is certainly a responsibility placed on the Pastor to speak the truth in love. There is a fine line though between righteous rebuke and resentful jerk. I hope it is a line I can successfully navigate. If not I will have missed an opportunity and hurt my ability to serve this congregation.

I know some people think that the Pastor just pops up and speaks each Sunday, but I find that the task of preparing for the weekly sermon is draining, inspiring, fulfilling and filled with potential miss steps all at the same time. May God guide me and all those still finishing their Easter Sermon. [Or you could do as my Father in Law suggested, "use the one from last year no one will remember"]