by Deacon Jeffrey Howard
We recently celebrated Passion Week, as we remembered the final days of Jesus work here on earth. We have felt the sorrow and sympathy of Jesus being in excruciating pain from terrible beating, flogging, mocking, and ridicule as He made his way to be nailed on a tree between two thieves–all for our sins. 
Then we celebrated with joy Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection, the pinnacle of every Saint’s life, on Resurrection Sunday. So what now?
Did we simply go through the motions and celebrate Resurrection Sunday as just another holiday on the calendar? The celebration of Jesus victorious defeat over Satan, death, and sin should inspire us to lift up Jesus even higher in our daily walk with Him and to live a holy life. In John 12:32, Jesus reminds us, “If I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.” When Jesus departed earth in His physical body, he gave his disciples (and believers) the great commission. In Acts 1:8 Jesus said, “But ye shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all of Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” We should now be refreshed and more motivated the share the gospel of Jesus Christ to our unsaved family members, friends, co-workers, and strangers. Are we seeking to be baptized with the Holy Ghost if we have not been filled or are we just content to stay at the same level in God?
Jesus ministry on earth was only about three years. He did not waste a moment of time as He left us with many teachings in parables, words of life, and His Spirit to help us carry on the great commission on earth. Jesus was always about His Father’s business at all times. As with believers in Christ, we only have a window of opportunity to spread the gospel and draw sinners to Him. In John 9:4 Jesus states, “I must work the works of him that sent me while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.” We do not know how long the window of opportunity to win souls will be in our lives. Death will be an imminent experience for us all. Every believer should desire to hear this from God when our lives on earth have ceased: “Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.” Matthew 25:21.
So as you ponder on the great Passion Week and the aftermath of Resurrection Sunday, think about how you can change to serve the Lord even greater. Our church was blessed by a Sunrise Service profound message from 1st Lady Vivian Pruitte as she shared with us, “We will never be the same.” We cannot go back to the old things in our life before Christ saved us, nor should we go back to the shortcomings we had experienced in our Christian walk. There is only one way to go; to a higher spiritual level in God! Resurrection Sunday celebration should be a refreshing change in our lives. Now let’s go and be about our Father’s business!