Easter comes as an unexpected event. The Easter story then begins on the first day of the week. Though often overlooked, this obscure bit of detail can provide the basis for a powerful Easter message. The chronology of the narrative suggests that Easter is, in effect, the eighth day of creation. With the death and resurrection of Jesus, God ushers in a new era, surprising the world.
All creation is changed forever.
In the early church, Easter Sunday was the time for the baptism of those who had been receiving instruction for the past two years. The service centred on both the rising of Jesus Christ at Easter and on the death and rising into the new life through the waters of baptism. A sermon on Easter as the eighth day of creation coupled with at least one baptism becomes a powerful unity. It is equally powerful to use this Sunday for a reaffirmation of baptismal vows. The whole congregation thus makes the link between the resurrection of Jesus and their own lives.