Clinton Methodist Church

I enjoy a good surprise—an unexpected moment that sends light through your soul, that makes every cell in your body come alive, that starts as a small thought and suddenly floods your whole mind. Sometimes it’s an “aha” moment where something just clicks. Other times, it’s a jolt that makes you say, “No way!” And then there are the kinds of surprises that mess with you—in a good way—and change how you see everything. “I’ve never thought about it like that.”

Resurrection Sunday is one of those moments in history. One of the early church fathers, Gregory of Nyssa, described it in a concept known as “Christus Victor” (Christ the Victor). God beat the devil at his own game. The cross looked like defeat—humiliation and death for Jesus. But on Good Friday, the enemy overplayed his hand. The grave became the place where his schemes began to fall apart. Death thought it had Jesus—but it couldn’t hold Him. And in the resurrection, we see the ultimate surprise: what looked like defeat was actually God’s greatest victory. As Augustine of Hippo later put it, “The devil was defeated by the very thing he used to try to win.”

God is full of surprises. And I have a feeling… He might be saving the best for last.

Here are a few things to reflect on in preparation for the finale of Holy Week:

1. What surprises have you experienced during Lent? We have spent the last 6 weeks fasting and praying, reading devotionals, attending Lenten lunches, reading the Minor Prophets, etc. What has the Lord shown you? How have you encountered Him these past 40 days? What are you going to do about it? I’d love to hear your stories. Email me and share them – jimmy@cmc-clinton.org.

2. There will be a surprise on Easter! We will be making a surprise announcement on Sunday that is definitely good news! Can’t wait to share it with you.

3. Keep reading! I hope you will take a few minutes to read through the rest of this newsletter today. There is a lot of information about our special services starting Thursday evening and running through Sunday morning. I hope you will attend as much as you can. Our staff and volunteers have been working hard to help you encounter the presence of Christ during these next few days. I can’t wait to share these moments with you.

Here is a final surprise for you today.

The “Reset Your Day” Challenge.

1 Walk outside.

2 Don’t take your phone.

3 Look for 5 things you’ve never noticed before: a sound, a texture, a smell, a color, or something moving.

4 Then ask yourself one question: “How much have I been missing while rushing?”

Here is why this works. Your brain is wired to filter out the familiar. This flips that switch and makes ordinary life feel… new again.

Maybe we need to do this again on Easter morning. Switch the phone off and silence all notifications when you come to worship. Look for 5 things you’ve never noticed before about the Easter story, worship, the people in the room, the colors, sounds, or a moment when something grabs your attention. Then ask yourself: How much have I been missing while rushing onto the next thing in my day?

See you Sunday!

Jimmy