Easter

“Then he took unto him the twelve, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished.  For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted on: And they shall scourge him, and put him to death: and the third day he shall rise again.”  Luke 18:31-33

Had it all come to this? Miserable, depressed and deserted.  They had given everything to follow Him.  In John, chapter 6, when Jesus asked if they would continue to follow Him, “Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life..” (John 6:68)  Had all their hope ended in failure?  Had everything been for nothing?  How could it have gone so wrong?

Jesus’ final hours on the cross lasted from approximately nine in the morning to three in the afternoon; a period of about six hours.  Jesus asked for their forgiveness while soldiers cast lots for His clothing.  He was insulted and mocked.  And then darkness covered the land.  Three hours later, He declared ‘It is finished.’”

He shook his head in empathy.  “Friday truly was a dark day for the followers of Jesus Christ.”

“And all his acquaintance, and the women that followed him from Galilee, stood afar off, beholding these things.”  Luke 23:49

They watched as He was crucified.  Crucifixion was an ancient method of execution in which the victim’s hands and feet were bound and nailed to a cross.  It was one of the most horribly painful and disgraceful methods of capitol punishment.  The word crucifixion comes from the latin world ‘crucifixio,’ or ‘crucifixus’ meaning ‘fixed to a cross.’  Crucifixion was not only the one of the most disgraceful forms of death, it was one of the most dreaded methods of execution in the ancient world.  Accounts of crucifixions are recorded among the early civilizations, but became common under the rule of Alexander the Great.  This type of punishment was primarily reserved for traitors, captive armies, slaves and the worst of criminals.  His friends and family witnessed this gruesome act and watched as Jesus drew His last breath.

The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the Sabbath day, (for that Sabbath day was a high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away.  Then came the soldiers, and brake the legs of the first, and of the other which was crucified with him.  But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs: But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water.”  (John 19:31-33)

Jesus was dead.  The Roman centurion had satisfied that Jesus was gone.  The centurion is like the commander of the Roman army.  After witnessing everything that had happened, in verse 47 even he believed Jesus was Who He said He was.

Joseph of Arimathaea went to Pilate and begged for Jesus’ body.  Pilate released the body to him.  He was wrapped in linen and laid in a sepulcher; a borrowed tomb.

Can you imagine the fear and the dread these followers felt?  They were desolate with no leader.  They feared their own persecution.  Never mind the fact that Jesus had told them on three different occasions that all this would happen.  But more importantly that He would return!  Now I don’t know if after all the chaos and heartbreak that they had gone through, they just forgot what He had said.  Because, let’s face it, it happens.  Or maybe they did remember His words, but they didn’t truly understand them.

Early Sunday morning Mary, Mary Magdalene, Joanna and Salome approached the tomb with spices in order to anoint Jesus’ body for burial.  A violent earthquake shook the earth as an angel rolled back the stone.  The guards shook in fear as the angel, dressed in bright white, sat upon the stone.  The angel announced to the women that Jesus was no longer there.  ‘He is risen, just as He said.’ (Matthew 28:6) Then he instructed the women to inspect the tomb and see for themselves.”

What they found changed everything.  The tomb was rolled away.  When they entered, His body was gone.  Perplexed and possibly bewildered, I’m sure they had no idea what they should do.  “And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead?  He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee, saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.  And they remembered his words, and returned from the sepulchre, and told all these things unto the eleven, and to all the rest.” (Luke 24:5-8)

In the drama ‘The Trial of Jesus,’ John Masefield has the centurion Longinus report to Pilate after the crucifixion of Jesus.  Longinus had been the officer in charge of the execution, and after his official report, Procula, Pilate’s wife calls the centurion to come and tell her how the prisoner had died.  Once the account is given, she asks, “Do you think he is dead?”  Longinus answers “No, lady, I don’t.”  “Then where is he?” asks Procula.  Longinus replies, “Let loose in the world, lady, where neither Roman nor Jew can stop his truth.”

Jesus had to be delivered into the hands of sinful men because that was God’s plan.  For our salvation Jesus had to be crucified.  And He went willingly.  There are many religions and denominations that want to remove the cross from their message; their motif.  Some claim that it’s because it reminds them of Christ's death and they don't want to be reminded of that.  Some because they serve a living God, others want to forget the gruesome details.  And I understand that.  But you can't have salvation without the blood.   And if you remove the cross from your message; if you remove the blood from the message, you have nothing! His death and resurrection mean absolutely nothing!  Our faith is worth nothing.  And we have no hope.

The simple truth is you can't have blood without the cross.  No, we do not serve a God who is dead.  We serve a living God!  But first we have to come to the cross.  It begins with the cross.  For that alone it should be proudly displayed for all to see.  It stands for more than just death as some would say.

We cannot repaint the faith!  If you soften the religion, you cheapen it.  Some would have you believe that you don’t need to repent anymore.  Pray a simple prayer and you’re good.  It doesn’t work like that.  It’s what’s inside us. Sincerity.  Simple honesty.  Do you believe it?  If you believe it, do you live it?  Today’s morality that passes for Christian faith is just a devastating hobby.  Jesus is on the cover, but He’s not in the book.

Then there are those Christians who are so afraid to take a stand; afraid that they might offend someone with their beliefs.  I say offend them!  If you truly believe in the Son of God and His teaching, take a stand!  Homosexuality is a sin!  Abortion is murder!  Take a stand!  Don’t ride the fence just to appease people!  Do not accept less than God demands!  Set your standards higher.  You can still hate the sin but love the sinner!  If you are not bold in Jesus Christ, you won’t be bold anywhere else in your life – not your job, not your relationships, anywhere!  We cannot be timid with the cross!  We cannot be timid with the gospel!  The cross demands a response.  Either we move toward it, or we move from it.  Our salvation depends upon the cross and Jesus’ resurrection.  We cannot have a dead sacrifice!

Salvation is not an evacuation plan.  It’s a restoration project.  You don’t want to go to hell?  Great.  Neither do most people.  But not wanting to go to hell is not what’s going to get you to heaven.  I get so tired of seeing these television preachers asking viewers to pray a few lines at the end of the service and then tell these viewers that they are saved.  They have no clue as to the condition of the viewer’s heart.  There’s no guidance.  There’s no counsel.  They go on and believe that they are saved.  Their lifestyle doesn’t change.  They care more about the here and now instead of the then and there.  They don’t get really excited about the teachings of Jesus Christ.  God desires to restore your life to something more; to create in you a new being.  He wants you to be the person He has called you to be.  That’s what salvation is about.  It’s a journey, not a destination.

Day after day we are faced with reminders of tribulation and troubling news that has most Christians in the dumps.  News of war, murder, drugs, abortion and corruption.  Easter's message of hope and God's power should be pumping through our hearts and our minds every day of our lives; not just one weekend (or one Sunday) a year!  The devil certainly has a grip on this world today and that's no doubt.  But one thing about Satan, he has a bad habit of underestimating our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Satan did his best to destroy Christ.  Jesus suffered, bled and died for every man.  And when He breathed His last breathe, Satan cheered.  He counted Him as defeated.  Christ was dead and Satan had won.  Or so he thought.

Then Sunday came.  And everything he thought he knew was false.  His world was turned upside down.  Jesus Christ rose from the dead to be triumphant over sin and the grave. A staggering testimony that no other faith in the world can proclaim. Witnessed by hundreds and recorded in history as fact. I'm glad to be serving a living God Who simply cannot fail! I will proudly display the cross and declare the blood!  For what He did.  For Who He is.  For what He has created in me.  I am His.  He is mine.

Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.  For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:  And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve:  After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.” (1 Corinthians 15:1-6)

Donald Harvey Tippet said, ‘If Easter means anything to modern man it means that eternal truth is eternal. You may nail it to the tree, wrap it up in grave clothes, and seal it in a tomb; but truth crushed to earth, shall rise again. Truth does not perish; it cannot be destroyed. It may be distorted; it has been silenced temporarily; it has been compelled to carry its cross to Calvary's brow or to drink the cup of poisoned hemlock in a Grecian jail, but with an inevitable certainty after every Black Friday dawns truth's Easter Morn.”

And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.  Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not.  For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. (1 Corinthians 15:14-17)  We serve a living God!  “Why seek ye the living among the dead?  He is not here, but is risen!”