A Theology for Easter Monday

The floor was littered with the remains of an aggressive session of gift opening on Christmas morning. At our house, Christmas morning was filled with special traditions, unique holiday foods and lots of gifts. It is always a glorious morning.

Some time later I was walking through the living room and found our oldest, Adam, laying in the middle of the piles of wrapping paper. Instead of being filled with yuletide joy, he appeared to be in abject despair.

What had happened!?

I said, “Adam, what in the world is going on?”

He simply replied, “The minute after Christmas is the worse!”

After all of the build-up and anticipation, the experience of the minute after, or maybe more accurately, the day after can be tough.

We know all about this!

You move into a new house. Full boxes are waiting the day after.

Have a real experience with Jesus at church camp? You return to the same school pressure and friend group.

Day three of a week of vacation arrives and you are reminded that all of the work and laundry you left behind is waiting the day after you arrive home.

But, for those first followers of Jesus. Can you even imagine? We all just celebrated Easter. It’s a big deal for our people group. The buildup, the celebration, the defeat of death had arrived.

But, Easter Monday, the day after, must also be considered.

There is a familiar line that preachers use during Good Friday worship. On Good Friday we gather around the foot of the cross to celebrate the Lord’s Super and be reminded that Jesus laid his life down as substitute for ours in a violent act of Roman crucifixion.

But the service ends with a glimmer of hope as we light one candle and often say, “It might be Friday night, but Sunday is on the way.” A promise that the sunrise of Easter Sunday morning brings the resurrection of Jesus. Savior of the world!

But we must also say: “It might be Sunday morning, but Monday is on the way?”

We need a theology for both, don’t we? We need good theology to get us from Friday to Sunday, but we also need, in the middle of such an uncertain season, a theology on Sunday that helps us get through all the Mondays.

Easter Monday is a day filled with both hope and anxiety. The resurrection of Jesus on Easter Sunday is the fuel for one and the answer to the other.

The day after Easter Sunday, what we are calling Easter Monday, is a day filled with the HOPE of all of these things. BUT it can also create anxiety.

Why? Because it didn’t immediately solve all the problems. The power of the resurrection didn’t immediate reverse all the consequences of sin. The problems of Easter Day are likely still there on Easter Monday.

Wrapping paper is still on the floor, that laundry you left is still waiting for you, the relationship issues still linger, that marriage is still fragile, that job is still unfulfilling.

Easter Sunday brings real hope – but Easter Monday still has enough problems of its own.

So, in light of Easter Sunday’s resurrection, how do you respond on Easter Monday?

With Peace because Jesus has conquered death

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. You heard me say to you, ‘I am going away, and I will come to you.’” John 14:27–28

With Persistence because life is a race to be won

“And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” Galatians 6:9

And, with Patience because Jesus gets the victory on both Easter Sunday…and the Day After.

“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

It might be Sunday morning, but Monday is on the way!