Christianity 101: Easter is Over; Now What?

As I write this, we have just finished the third Sunday of Easter - a time when many Christians around the world continue to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is also a time for Christians to remember what it means to be a follower of Jesus today.

Here in America, right now, we find ourselves in very strange times, indeed. You know what I didn't have on my bingo card for 2026? The pope, government leaders, and pastors in a theological cage fight.

Yet here we are.

Democrats cling to the Sermon on the Mount, Republicans cling to Old Testament images of God's people in battles with enemies, and honestly, it seems the Church is split between. Of course, this doesn't adequately describe where we are; I'm not sure I can find the right words to use in this amount of space. But if I had to attempt, I would say our current situation is like the process of multiple reflection experienced when looking through a kaleidoscope. Hold the kaleidoscope up to a light source, and the light reflects off small mirrors inside the kaleidoscope. Each reflection creates an image. Keep rotating the kaleidoscope and you get new images. The patterns keep changing.

We are seeing this lived out in the church and in the culture. We look at Christianity and what it means to be Christian, and we keep rotating the kaleidoscope, if you will, and we keep getting different viewpoints. The problem is, we use mirrors of our own making, so we are not getting an accurate reflection.

Thinking about Christianity and being a Christian has nuances, and often of our own making, hence the comparison with mirrors.

I asked A.I. a simple question: "What are the main complexities to being called a Christian today?"

The answer: "The term Christian today carries a heavy load of historical, political, and cultural baggage, making it a complex identity to navigate regardless of one's personal convictions."

A.I. had me at political and cultural. For some, the act of "being Christian" and "being American" are synonymous. For others, "cultural Christianity" is their religion, at least in terms of mixing a moral ideal or an ideal of tradition with "being Christian."

Our worldview becomes the mirror we use to create a reflection of Christianity. But how accurate is our worldview?

Jesus is the best mirror we have and the only true and accurate reflection we have about things related to what it means to "be a Christian." What does He say? What is the historical view of following Jesus?

John 14:6, NLT

"Jesus told him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me."

First, being Chrisian means we enter this way through Jesus. Full stop. No other path.

John 14:12, NLT

"I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father."

Second, being a Christian means we will not just say we are Christians, but we will actually do the things Jesus did.

John 14:23-24, NLT

"Jesus replied, "All who love me will do what I say. My Father will love them, and we will come and make our home with each of them. [24] Anyone who doesn't love me will not obey me. And remember, my words are not my own. What I am telling you is from the Father who sent me."

Third, Jesus doubles down on the importance of actually living like we have Jesus on our inside, directing us to do the things Jesus did.

One of Jesus' followers, a younger adult named Peter, was compulsive, lashed out in anger, ran and hid, but ultimately become a power-house preacher. Listen to what he says about being a Christian.

1 Peter 1:1-2, NLT

"This letter is from Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ. I am writing to God's chosen people who are living as foreigners in the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia. [2] God the Father knew you and chose you long ago, and his Spirit has made you holy. As a result, you have obeyed him and have been cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ. May God give you more and more grace and peace."

Being Christian means that God chooses us. God has made several covenants with His people throughout the ages, with the New Covenant rooted in the death and resurrection of Jesus. On top of this, God seals us as His people through the Spirit of Christ living within believers.

1 Peter 1:3-4, NLT

"All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation, [4] and we have a priceless inheritance-an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay."

Being Christian means that we have the inheritance of eternal life that cannot die, rust, or decay.

1 Peter 1:17-20, NLT

"And remember that the heavenly Father to whom you pray has no favorites. He will judge or reward you according to what you do. So you must live in reverent fear of him during your time here as "temporary residents." [18] For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And it was not paid with mere gold or silver, which lose their value. [19] It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God. [20] God chose him as your ransom long before the world began, but now in these last days he has been revealed for your sake."

Being Christian means that we understand that we are not defined by our national heritage, our political affiliation, our IQ, our bank accounts, or by any other worldly system. In fact, we are only temporary residents in this realm; our permanent and most important citizenship is in heaven, with Jesus our true King and Lord.

Philippians 3:20, NLT

"But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior."

Yet, we live here. Kaleidoscopes create pretty images, but they are only images. Understanding what it means to be a follower of Christ in this life is important.

I'm sure you've heard the recent trash talk between politicians and pastors. That's all it is - trash talk. Not one person can give or take away my identity in Christ. Jesus Christ alone sets that standard.

But I must understand that standard and live into the identity Jesus Christ calls me to.

To these ends, we will be starting a series on Sunday mornings, Christianity 101. We will look at things like, what is salvation, why is baptism important, how does Christianity impact vocation and voting, and a few other things. We will use the Living Word as our foundation.

We invite you to come be part of this on Sundays at 10:59 am.

Let's quiet all the unnecessary noise in our world and use kaleidoscopes full of the authentic images of what following Jesus looks like.