As I began thinking about what to say as we celebrate Easter and see the end of the Lenten season, it occurred to me that we should challenge ourselves to remember the regular appearance of Kermit the Frog on Sesame Street. Frequently, Kermit, in addition to his many other vignettes, Kermit would appear in various sketches asking the question, “What happens next?” In each case, there was a Rube Goldberg (some of you will have to look that up) contraption that Kermit would examine and repeatedly, ask, “What happens next?” And, I think, that’s where we find ourselves as we come to the end of Lent and the beginning of Eastertide.

During the season of Lent, we spent time in private study, Zoom devotionals with Pastor Chris, and both Sunday morning and evening opportunities for worship. In many, if not all of these, we spent time in self-examination considering our sins, our relationship with God, and with one another. But as we reach the end of this season, celebrate Easter, the resurrection of Jesus, and the beginnings of Eastertide and Spring, we should be asking ourselves the question that Kermit has asked so many times, “What happens next?”

It isn’t enough for us to go to school and get an education. All of us, as we approach graduation, whether from high school, undergraduate, or graduate education, must ask ourselves, “what happens next?” Will we continue our education? Will we pursue a job and a career? Will we take a “gap year” and travel? Eventually, life will force us into a decision, but choosing our course and making plans for what happens next is always better than stumbling forward and allowing others to choose for us.

Easter is no different. We have spent six weeks in self-reflection, but what have we learned about ourselves? And, more importantly, what are we going to do about it? I had a professor in seminary who taught classes on how to preach, and to do it well. And in his classes, he was fond of reminding us that while a well-prepared sermon was important, we should often, at the end of each message, answer the question, “So what?” We have spent hours studying, writing, preparation, and rehearsal, the scattered congregation has gathered and listened, but so what? It isn’t enough to do all those things if the congregation departs without knowing what they should do with the information and instruction that they have been given.

After all our study and time of self-reflection, what have we discovered about ourselves? As this season ends and another begins, what will we do with what we have learned?

Have we learned what triggers, or leads us into sin?

Have we considered choices and behaviors that cause us to wander away from, rather than closer to God?

Have we discovered habits and resources that are useful in building and maintaining a richer, fuller, relationship with Jesus?

After spending a season in self-reflection, what have we learned? And, what will we do with that information?

We should do something.

And so, as Kermit often asked…

… “What happens next?”

Blessings,

Pastor John