Of First Importance

by Timothy Teuscher

“He is risen. He is risen indeed! Alleluia!”

It is with those familiar words that I greet you—the pastors, deacons, and members of the congregations of our Synod—this Eastertide. It certainly is an Easter that none of us will ever forget. There was no abundance of Easter flowers adorning our church buildings. There was no Easter breakfast shared in our congregations. There was no sound of those joyous Easter hymns echoing through the walls of our churches. Instead, they stand dark and empty and silent.

And since such is the case, I say to you again, “He is risen. He is risen indeed! Alleluia!” And why? How is it possible for this joyous Easter greeting to sound forth from our lips when everything around us speaks of doom and gloom, uncertainty and fear, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic? 

The apostle Paul answers that in the appointed Epistle Reading for early Easter morning: “Now I would remind you, brothers, of the Gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:1-4).

What is of first importance whether it be to us as individuals or to our congregations? Just this: the message of the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.

“I delivered to you as of first importance,” the apostle says. Which begs the question, doesn’t it? What is of first importance? Now, in light of all that we have been experiencing these past weeks as a result of the coronavirus epidemic—church services suspended, schools and businesses closed, sports activities cancelled, travel curtailed, our health care system pushed to the limits both in terms of personnel and supplies, government officials at a loss as to what to do, self-isolation and social-distancing having become common words in our vocabulary… well, it seems obvious what is of first importance—namely, doing everything and anything possible to treat and eradicate this virus.

What is of first importance? When it comes to our personal lives, there are a variety of things of first importance as a result of this epidemic. To the one now out of work, what is of first importance is finding a steady job and providing for his or her family. To the one who is retired, what is of first importance is their shrinking nest-egg as a result of the collapse of the stock market. For the person lying on a hospital bed afflicted with this virus, what is of first importance is getting proper medical treatment and being restored to health.

In short, what is of first importance to people at this time are those good gifts of God mentioned in the catechism explanation of the First Article of the Creed and the Fourth Petition of the Lord’s Prayer—“clothing and shoes, food and drink, house and home, spouse and children… being defended against all danger and protected from all evil… good government, peace, health” and the like.

And when it comes to our congregations, what is now of first importance? For most, if not all, it is finances, or the lack of them, as a result of this pandemic. No money for the upkeep and maintenance of your church building, no offerings received for the support of your pastor, no funds available for the national and international missions of our Synod. I, and the folks back here in the synod office in Winnipeg, are aware of this, and are ourselves struggling with this reality, doing what we can to assist you, and praying for you and with you at this time of great distress (see page 27 for how you can support your congregation through online giving).

But all this is precisely why we need to hear anew and again what St. Paul says: “For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures.” What is of first importance whether it be to us as individuals or to our congregations? Just this: the message of the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Just think about it: all your sins fully and completely paid for by the atoning death of Jesus on the cross. A life with God now and forever—even your own resurrection from the grave—because of Jesus’ resurrection from the dead. 

Why is this so? The apostle answers in these words from Romans: “Christ was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.” Just think about it: all your sins fully and completely paid for by the atoning death of Jesus on the cross. A life with God now and forever—even your own resurrection from the grave—because of Jesus’ resurrection from the dead. 

And that, of course, is what Holy Week was about: Christ’s death on the cross on Good Friday and His resurrection from the grave on Easter Day. And since this is of first importance, every Lord’s Day—every Sunday throughout the year—is really a mini-Good Friday and little Easter Day. The day when that which is of first importance is proclaimed to us; as St. Paul again puts it: “I would remind you of the Gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved.” The day when the risen Lord appears to us, just as He did to the disciples on that first Easter evening, showing us His hands and His side in the holy Sacrament of His very body and blood as a foretaste of the eternal, heavenly feast to come.

No, not the healing of our diseased bodies, but the healing of our diseased souls. Not getting our finances in order to secure our retirement but the guarantee of our eternal future through Jesus’ death and resurrection. Not an earthly home and things, but heavenly treasures and an eternal home with our Father in heaven. ‘This,’ the apostle calls out to each one of us, ‘is of first importance.’

And although our church buildings stand empty and silent this Easter, in heaven above it is quite a different scene: standing room only as angels and archangels and the whole Church triumphant bask in the light of the glory of God, singing in a loud voice: “This is the feast of victory for our God! Blessing, honor, glory, and might be to God and the Lamb forever.”

And since such is indeed the case, I say it to you again: “He is risen. He is risen indeed! Alleluia!”

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Rev. Timothy Teuscher is President of Lutheran Church–Canada.

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