If Wal Mart Can Sell Valentines At Christmas, I Can Talk About Easter At New Years

It's amazing to me how retail has started getting the jump on every holiday. I remember standing in Cracker Barrel in early August. There was, of course, football everything and the remnants of July 4th, but also Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas merchandise everywhere. I was in Wal Mart on Christmas Eve and noticed Valentine's Day displays. It's pretty crazy, but not more crazy than a minister of music's life.

While the Christmas decorations are still hanging I'm in full-blown Easter mode. Actually, I've been working on it for about a month, even before we performed our Christmas music at church. It's just the way it is.

This year I'm working on a new approach to telling the Easter story. I would like some input on this, so if you're willing, so please comment either here or on Facebook. Or, you can private message or even e-mail if you prefer to be more anonymous at ibworshipin@gmail.com.

The things I'm looking for are the elements of the story you find most compelling, and why. Was it the triumphant entry, or the Passover meal with the disciples? Perhaps the trials, betrayals, etc.? Gethsemane? The crucifixion itself? What about the burial, or the resurrection? How about the Emmaus Road experience, or other sightings of Jesus after the resurrection? The ascension?

I'm looking at some of the backstory to why Easter was needed in the first place. Things like the Garden of Eden - the place of original sin. Or the deliverance from Egypt - instituting the Passover. And then there are numerous prophecies, types, and shadows of how Messiah would die, be resurrected, even the method by which He would die.

Any thoughts you have along these lines would be greatly appreciated. I'm looking forward to hearing some of the elements you find most interesting about Easter. Thanks in advance.

By the way, any unique ideas I choose to use I will give you credit, if I know who you are.