How to Write an Easter Sunday Sermon

Have you been tapped on the shoulder to provide a message for an Easter Sunday service? These sermons are usually given by the spiritual leader of a church community, but at times others will substitute. Giving a good Easter Sunday message means knowing the standards and ideas behind the holiday cycle and historical Christian tradition.

Difficulty:

Moderately Challenging

Instructions

1. Stay with the seasonal theme. Easter is a specific opportunity to talk about Christ's death and resurrection. Don't veer away from the subject or let it be obscured by other themes; give a clear message regarding the emergence of Christ from the tomb.

2. Contrast Easter Sunday to Good Friday. While the Good Friday service is generally reflection on Christ's death, the Easter Sunday service, its spiritual counterpart, focuses on rebirth, awakening and similar themes. Use Good Friday as a framing point to talk about the redemption and rebirth possible through Christ.

3. Strike the right balance: Easter Sunday doesn't mean a moratorium on dark subjects or sad topics, but again, these should not overwhelm the Easter message. If there are negative things going on in the community around the holiday, don't be afraid to address them, but keep them in their place, peripheral to the Easter message that has become an annual landmark for Christian communities.

4. Choose good related songs. If you are in charge of songs, there are many with relevance to the Easter tradition. Many Easter songs have a faster, upbeat tempo and evoke the feeling of triumph and victory (Christ's victory over death). Use these themes and ideas to enhance the emotion of the holiday.

5. Take the opportunity to talk about what we know and what we don't know about Christ. Many ministers use the Easter Sunday to talk about the nature of Christ as a human form. Use tact and sensitivity to what the specific congregation believes, but don't be afraid to use a little scriptural history to address who Christ was, and why the Easter tradition is important.

Resources

• Easter Sermons from Preaching Today
• Sermon Tips: Fact and Feeling