Three year old Nicole was as anxious for Easter to come as she had been for Christmas to arrive. One day, as Nicole and her father stopped at a store to buy her a new pair of shoes, for the tenth time she said, “Daddy, I can’t wait for Easter!”“Honey,” her dad asked, “do you know what Easter means?” “Yes,” she replied. He said, “Well, what does Easter mean?” In her own sweet, three-year-old way, with arms raised high, a big smile on her face and at the top of her voice, she shouted, “Surprise!”

I’m not sure if there is a better word to sum up Easter. Surprise death! Surprise sin! Surprise powers of evil! Surprise people of the earth!

This week we celebrate what just might be the greatest surprise in human history. See you on Sunday! (But don’t forget Good Friday @ 7:00 pm.)