But it didn’t start with Easter Sunday, did it?
Let’s talk a little bit about what happened prior to Jesus’ resurrection. Mankind sinned and needed redemption – the price of sin is death and somehow that price had to be paid. God planned for it to be paid by His Son dying on a cross, atop a hill, on the outskirts of Jerusalem.
Think about that death. Jesus knew it was coming. So many times in our lives we know something is inevitable – it’s coming and we’re not thrilled about it. Jesus didn’t look forward to dying on the cross for our sins. He even asked His Father to keep it from happening. He asked His Father if there was possibly any other way to bring us back to Him. But it wasn’t to be – the price had to be paid. The perfect, sinless sacrifice had to be made.
Yes, He asked for another way, but He was still willing to die for us. He said, “Not My will, but Yours, Father.” Jesus knew that, if His Father didn’t come up with another plan, He would have to pay the price for us all.
That really humbles me. You know, the fact that Jesus asked for it not to happen, but went ahead and gave His life up for me, touches my heart so deeply. If He hadn’t asked God to take the cup away, if he hadn’t asked His father not to make Him suffer in the way He knew He would – I’m not sure I would have as good a grasp on His love for us. Because, you see, He knew ahead of time. He had time to think about just what would happen – the pain, the humiliation, the separation from His Father. Even then – He was willing.
The price was higher than we can ever imagine. I’m sure you realize that.
We've all seen the pictures of our suffering savior, so we have some idea of the cause of the pain He went through, but what about His loneliness, have we thought about that?
Yes, there were people around, a few of His followers and His mother who cared about him. There were soldiers and the two other men who were crucified at the same time. But even then Jesus was entirely alone in this world. Even His Father could not partake in that aloneness. The price for our sin was not only death, but it was separation from His Father. When He cried out, “My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me,” I believe that His Father God hurt like He had never hurt before in all of time and before time.
I believe He could have stopped the suffering of His son, but He would not – He loved us too much. I believe He could have protected Jesus from this terrible burden, from paying the price of salvation for us, I believe He could have made sure that His son knew He was there, but He did not.
And it did not end there!
Thank God it didn’t end there! Spring was coming – a new day was dawning – God knew what He was doing.
It was only a matter of days until the story made a remarkable change. In only a short time, sorrow turned to gladness. In the darkness of our world a new sun was shining. In a blink of an eye in eternity’s time the whole history of man changed from darkness to dawn. Christ burst from the tomb, and the heaven was filled with singing. The whole world woke up to spring. It was a new day, a new beginning.
Jesus’ disciples changed from the timid, beaten down, men they were – from the fraidy-cats that ran away and denied knowing Him, to real men who spoke out, who were willing to stand up and be counted as followers of Jesus. The world would be changed forever because of this one event in history. Wrongs would be dealt with; hospitals would be built; charity would be given; children would be protected; slavery would eventually be ended, all because of this one event in history. Isn’t that exciting?
You see Easter isn’t over!
Easter isn’t over, and it will never be
Christ paid the price to bring the Spring – and set this captive free.
May your Easter this year mean more to you than it ever has before. May you be more aware of how much God loves you than you ever have before and may that warm your heart and comfort you. He loves you so much.
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