The season of Easter in the Church's calendar runs until May 12th this year. So we think it's over but it isn't. The preaching explores the post-resurrection appearances of Jesus and considers some of the ways we describe him; vine, shepherd, friend, Son of God.
In reality we will carry something of Easter with us in our DNA as Christians. It is always with us, so central is it to our understanding of the world and God's interactions with human beings. Yet we struggle to articulate it fully, or to describe it to interested acquaintances. In our minds and hearts the gospel is simple, at the same time as being a mystery, as if illuminated by light but clouded at the same time.
Mystery or not, we friends of God should elect to spend time in God's presence, along with those fellow travellers also seeking God. In John 15: 4-5 we read the words of Jesus;
"Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing."
Skye Jethani notes; "this call to dwell or abide is an ongoing state of being, not and invitation to chat once in a while." So the Easter mystery stretches on, sometimes we get it, sometimes we don't. It is a lifelong journey of faithfulness, and God's Spirit helps us stay the course.