CORN FLAKES AND JESUS

Good Friday to You, 
Once a year, my Good Friday email falls on the day commonly known as Good Friday. Today is the day we celebrate the sacrificial gift of Jesus’ life given on the “old rugged cross.” This Sunday is The Day we celebrate: The tomb is empty, and our Savior is Alive! 
Since I am 44, that makes this weekend my 45th annual celebration of Jesus’ victory over sin and death. Considering multiple worship services, I’m now approaching 70 resurrection worship services in my life. Thus, I will be celebrating Jesus’ resurrection…again. For many of us, that presents a challenge. 
Enter Kellogg’s Corn Flakes…
In the late 80’s, Kellogg’s Corporation watched their once dominant cereal losing market share. Corn Flakes was noticeably losing sales to generic versions. Though I am not a cereal specialist and usually pick generic over name brand, as a pastor, I can very much connect with Kellogg’s predicament. Though our “product” (salvation through the Resurrected Jesus) is the greatest gift ever given and the greatest joy available to humanity…the competition for the attention of our people are innumerable! 
Taste them again, for the first time. 
This simple two-part phrase became one of the most famous slogans in American history! Kellogg’s invited Americans to simultaneously return to eating Corn Flakes and taste them anew. It worked! This weekend, many of us have the opportunity to again celebrate the Resurrection of Our Lord…AND…experience it anew! As we will discover (again), those who encountered the resurrected Jesus were dramatically and forever transformed! We will focus on the account of two men who were shocked to discover Jesus was the man who had been walking with them on their trip to Emmaus. (Luke 24:13-35 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+24:13-35&version=ESV)) 
Two final requests for you: 
1. If you have not yet invited or confirmed the attendance of those you invited, please don’t miss the special opportunity Easter affords us. When surveyed, non-church-goers regularly claim they would come if we would just invite them. Easter is one of the few weekends of the year they are likely to actually show up when actively invited! 
2. When you come, please consider moving a few rows forward and a few chairs inward. Guests especially gravitate toward the back and the aisles when visiting a new church. So…please save those seats for our Guests! 
Hope to see you Sunday, 
Pastor Michael