Easter

Today we celebrate Easter. We have likely recalled His triumphant entry into Jerusalem just a few days before, and many people today would worship Him if He were the triumphant leader that they thought He would be, but He wasn't in earthly terms. That is why many people refuse to follow Him. They cannot see anything material in it for them. We may have remembered His last supper, when Jesus said one of those there with Him, His closest disciples, would betray Him. We may think of the disciples looking around wondering who it was but knowing that it wasn't him, though Judas knew. Still, when things got really bad, they all betrayed Jesus by their disbelief. We may question the faith of others while we fail to follow Jesus in complete faith, thereby betraying Him. We may remember the time in the garden when the disciples could not stay awake for an hour, in spite of their professed undying loyalty to Him, and we may ask how often we have failed in the simplest things that God calls us to do. When we say we will pray for someone, do we basically sleepwalk through it. We may remember Jesus's arrest and the same people who welcomed now crying crucify Him as they chose to free Barabbas. We may likewise choose to stand with others as they take actions that in effect crucify Christ once more. If any person, good or bad, becomes more important to us than Jesus Christ, we have become guilty of sin, and death is the penalty and Jesus Christ is the only One Who is qualified to pay that price and redeem us. We may remember Peter standing defiantly against the mob, and then slipping away after Jesus was arrested and denying Him. There may be times when our faith is very strong, and then if things don't go as we desire, we wallow in doubt, at which time we are denying Christ. We may remember the beating and the crucifixion when Jesus was mocked. We also must realize that even though the crucifixion happened centuries ago, we are just as responsible as the people in that day were. Jesus Christ died for us all.  We may remember the burial in a borrowed tomb that was sealed and guarded, seemingly ending all hope. If we only see Christ crucified and buried and defeated, then we have no hope, but what we must see and what we celebrate at Easter is the fact that the tomb was unsealed and empty. Our hope is in the resurrected Jesus Christ alone. Had Jesus Christ simply died and been buried, even if it was done for us, then He would not be able to bring us salvation. In the resurrection, He defeated sin and death for all time. So, this Easter, if you have not, I pray that you will accept Jesus Christ as your personal Savior and Lord so that you may know the real joy of Easter. For those who have already done so, I pray that we will put our faith in Him at all times. HE HAS RISEN.