Breaking the Silence: An Easter Reflection

Have you ever felt like God was silent in your life? That's the powerful question we explored this Easter at Watts Bar Community Church through our production "The Silence." We dove into what theologians call the "400 years of silence" between the Old and New Testaments—centuries where God's people heard no prophetic voices, received no divine messages, and experienced what must have felt like complete abandonment. This deafening silence left many wondering if God had turned His back on humanity forever.

But as we discovered together, God wasn't absent—He was preparing. In that seeming void, the Creator of the universe was orchestrating the most remarkable rescue plan in history. Instead of arriving with the thunder of war drums or the spectacle of supernatural power, God's answer to centuries of silence came in the most unexpected form: a baby's cry in a humble stable. This child would grow to become not just another prophet or teacher, but the living embodiment of God's voice breaking through the silence that had separated Him from His people.

When Silence Speaks Louder Than Words
This contrast between silence and divine intervention reveals something essential about how God works in our lives. Often when we feel most abandoned, most alone in our struggles, God is closest - working behind the scenes on our behalf.

Jesus broke through centuries of silence not with dramatic displays of power but through personal encounters with ordinary people. Throughout His ministry, He specialized in meeting people in their own personal silences:

• The silence of shame, like the woman caught in adultery who expected condemnation but received mercy
• The silence of insignificance, like the young boy whose small lunch became enough to feed thousands
• The silence of isolation, like the demoniac whose home had become a graveyard until Jesus restored his dignity
• The silence of disability, like Blind Bartimaeus whose persistent cries for help were answered with healing
• The silence of regret, like the prodigal son who found forgiveness instead of judgment

Seeing Beyond the Surface
What made Jesus revolutionary was His ability to see beyond labels, beyond circumstances, beyond sins, to the true person beneath. When others saw a tax collector, Jesus saw Matthew - a future apostle and gospel writer. When others saw an impulsive fisherman, Jesus saw Peter - the rock upon whom He would build His church. When others saw "Sons of Thunder," Jesus saw John - who would become known as "the disciple whom Jesus loved."

The religious leaders of Jesus' day couldn't understand Him. They enforced rules and regulations; He offered relationship and restoration. They condemned sinners; He transformed them. They guarded the gates of religion; He threw them open wide.

From Death's Silence to Resurrection's Shout
Our Easter production culminated with the greatest silence of all - the silence of the tomb after Jesus' crucifixion. For three days, it seemed darkness had won. His followers scattered, devastated by the apparent defeat of their Messiah.

But that silence was shattered by resurrection! The empty tomb proclaimed more loudly than any voice could that death had been conquered, sin had been defeated, and hope had been restored. The cardboard testimonies shared by our church family demonstrated that Jesus continues breaking silences today - in marriages restored, addictions overcome, purpose discovered, and faith renewed.

Finding God in Your Silence
So what does this mean for us today?
If you're experiencing your own season of silence - wondering where God is in your struggle, your grief, your doubt - remember that silence doesn't mean absence. The God who orchestrated salvation through 400 years of apparent inactivity is still working in your waiting.

Maybe you identify with one of the biblical characters from our production - carrying shame like the adulterous woman, feeling insignificant like the boy with the small lunch, isolated like the demoniac, or living with regret like the prodigal son. Jesus still sees beyond those circumstances to who you truly are and who you could become through an encounter with Him.

Breaking Your Silence
This Easter season, I invite you to listen differently to the silences in your life. Rather than interpreting God's quietness as absence, consider it as preparation for something new. And if you're ready to break your own silence, our church family at WBCC is here to walk alongside you.

Jesus didn't just break the 400-year silence once - He continues breaking through silences today. Will you let Him break through yours?

Come join us this Sunday as we continue exploring how the risen Christ transforms our lives. The silence has been broken. Let's live in the sound of His grace together.

Pastor Kelly Goins
Lead Pastor, WBCC