by Linda Winn

A few days before Easter Sunday the young cashier in the check-out line bagged my groceries. When I handed her a check, I wished her a "Happy Easter."

A cheery smile spread across her face as she chirped, "Happy Easter to you, too."

So I added joyfully, "He is risen!"

Immediately her world of white Easter bunnies, marshmallow chickens, and brightly colored eggs plummeted to the stark reality that God had invaded her vision of Easter.

She stood in perfect stillness, her face registering no expression and no understanding of what "He is risen" really meant. Utterly speechless, she turned to her next customer and began bagging his groceries.

The Barna Update, a newsletter of Christian statistics, reports that "one out of every three adults or 73 million adults in the United States is classified as unchurched. www.barna.org/barna-update/article/12-faithspirituality/107-unchurched-population-nears-100-million-in-the-us

If that is true, where are they going to hear the message that Jesus has risen from the grave? How will they ever understand that "By His power God raised the Lord from the dead, and He will raise us also," (1 Corinthians 6:14) if we only believe.

Perhaps they think it’s impossible. But, nothing is impossible with God.

Perhaps they need proof. The disciples needed proof, too. Jesus’ death had left them scattered, disillusioned and fearful. So, "After His suffering, He showed Himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that He was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God," (Acts 1:3-4 NIV).

Perhaps they need to hear the message of Jesus’ resurrection from a friend. Paul wrote to his friends in Corinth, "For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. After that, He appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all He appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born," (1 Corinthians 15:3-8 NIV).

God’s Word promises that "Everyone born of God overcomes the world... Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God," (1 John 5:4-5).

That belief comes from hearing the Word of God. So, share the good news, even to the girls at the cash register.

He is risen!