Easter … what comes to mind?

The Easter Bunny naturally, then maybe a colorful basket of eggs and, of course, that ever-present, cavity-causing chocolate rabbit. (I always ate the ears first.)

And while all of these things have become staples to the American Easter, they have absolutely nothing to do with the event we are to be celebrating. We have become a nation that must get something in order to celebrate anything. Christmas we get gifts. The Fourth of July has become all about the barbecue. Even Memorial Day, when we are to honor those who have died in defense of our freedoms, has become about the first three-day weekend of the summer.

Everyone you know was born! Granted, Christ’s birth was miraculous, like no other. We should celebrate it. But there is only one man who ever walked this earth, died and rose from the dead to never die again. That man is Jesus of Nazareth. It was the Christ, my Savior, my Lord, my God. It is this fact that allows every Christian to claim to be “saved.” Yet, alas, we degrade it into a story about some magical bunny that can dye boiled chicken eggs.

The celebration in the church is known as Holy Week. It begins with Palm Sunday, traditionally the day that Jesus entered into Jerusalem. On the way there He predicted His own death, not once or twice but three times. He knew what He had come to do. He knew when it would happen. He knew as he rode into Jerusalem the pain He would suffer. He knew the betrayal he would feel. And yet we think that getting a palm frond and waving it about is a sufficient remembrance. That Wednesday is the day that Judas conspired with the Sanhedrin and betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. On Thursday Jesus had His last meal with the apostles.

I would like to take a moment and describe to you the “Last Supper.” Jesus sat with His disciples, knowing one would betray Him, one would deny Him, and all but one would scatter in fear upon His arrest. But as He sat there supping with them He loved them so much that instead of chastising them for their failures He showed them a way to stay close to Him after He left them.

Then came Friday, six hours that would change the world! After being beaten which even in your wildest imagination you have no clue how horrible it was. He was then hung upon the cross He showed His love and compassion for all of us as He stated, “Father, forgive them, they know not what they do.” Then in a moment that still amazes me, He was alone as suddenly He cried out, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?”

For the rest of the day Friday and all of Saturday, He lay in the grave, but then on Sunday morning the hope of everyone was born. He arose! It is about much more than this singular event. In His resurrection we all have faith that death is not the end. We will one day rise just as He did. In Christ we have our hope of eternal life. In Christ we have the perfect sacrifice to complete the law of God, not do away with it. In His life we may all have life!

Easter … what comes to mind? That God loved all of us, so much that He left the glory of His throne in heaven to be the perfect payment for our sin that we can one day stand before Him again and hear, “Well done, enter into the kingdom.”

THANK YOU LORD FOR DYING FOR ME.

Feral, how does one post a comment after all that you have just said......
You have said it all, Lady........God bless!

awwww thanks tazz.....


Well I think different strokes for different folks....so I am sure there will be other what Easter means to others.

Great post Feral! You did sum it up, so I am just going to add a few other thoughts that came to mind...

Resurrection Sunday

I think of Christ's love for us! Even while we were still sinners, He loved us and died for us!

I think of His compassion. To expound upon what you had said earlier Feral, I imagine Jesus and His disciples at the last supper and Judas Iscariot given the place of honor. Even though Jesus knew what he was going to do, he still honored him with the best seat and kept giving him love. But then again, he knew that all his disciples would be scattered and that Peter, passionate, walk-on-water full of faith Peter would deny him three times shortly after the Roman soldiers took Him (Matthew 26:31-35). Yet, He loved them anyway. He knew what the Roman soldiers, the Pharisees and Sadduces, His disciples, and religious people were going to do, yet He died for them anyway.

You know what I think? Judas Iscariot didn't have to go to hell. It was not enough for him to feel bad and have remorse for what he did, he needed to repent and ask forgiveness, but instead he let his own guilt and shame persuade him that he was no good and never would be. So he did the unspeakable.

Matthew 27:1-5 (New International Version)

1Early in the morning, all the chief priests and the elders of the people came to the decision to put Jesus to death. 2They bound him, led him away and handed him over to Pilate, the governor.

3When Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty silver coins to the chief priests and the elders. 4"I have sinned," he said, "for I have betrayed innocent blood."

"What is that to us?" they replied. "That's your responsibility."

5 So Judas threw the money into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself.

Peter, and I am sure the other disciples as well, felt guilt and shame for denying Jesus, scattering, cursing, and not following Him to the cross, yet they repented of their sins and received forgiveness so that they no longer walked in shame. Why didn't Judas do that???

I also think of Christ's death, burial, and His resurrection. Now we who admit that we are sinners, believe that Christ was born of a virgin, died on the cross for our sins, believe that on the third day He rose and ascended to the right hand of the Father, confess that Jesus is Lord, and invite Him to come into our hearts and lives become born again. Then the old is gone and in with the new. He purchased our salvation, forgiveness of sins, and wholeness in every area of our lives when He died on the cross. He rose, conquered death, hell, and the grave and sits at the right hand of the Father and ever lives to make intercession for us. Jesus said, "I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows)." (John 10:10 Amplified Version)

So, that is just a small part of what I think about when I think of Resurrection Sunday (Easter) and all that He did for each one of us.

Prophesied by Isaiah:

Isaiah 53 (New International Version)

1 Who has believed our message
and to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?

2 He grew up before him like a tender shoot,
and like a root out of dry ground.
He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him,
nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.

3 He was despised and rejected by men,
a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering.
Like one from whom men hide their faces
he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

4 Surely he took up our infirmities
and carried our sorrows,
yet we considered him stricken by God,
smitten by him, and afflicted.

5 But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was upon him,
and by his wounds we are healed.

6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
each of us has turned to his own way;
and the LORD has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.

7 He was oppressed and afflicted,
yet he did not open his mouth;
he was led like a lamb to the slaughter,
and as a sheep before her shearers is silent,
so he did not open his mouth.

8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away.
And who can speak of his descendants?
For he was cut off from the land of the living;
for the transgression of my people he was stricken.

9 He was assigned a grave with the wicked,
and with the rich in his death,
though he had done no violence,
nor was any deceit in his mouth.

10 Yet it was the LORD's will to crush him and cause him to suffer,
and though the LORD makes his life a guilt offering,
he will see his offspring and prolong his days,
and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand.

11 After the suffering of his soul,
he will see the light of life and be satisfied ;
by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many,
and he will bear their iniquities.

12 Therefore I will give him a portion among the great,
and he will divide the spoils with the strong,
because he poured out his life unto death,
and was numbered with the transgressors.
For he bore the sin of many,
and made intercession for the transgressors.


God is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living! Glory to God, Christ is Risen!!!!



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Kha9S2_f6w&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GU8J5l1f5IU&feature=related

beautifully said honey.....and very true about Judas

To all ...



((((((((( HE IS RISEN !!!! )))))))))))



In English tradition .. your response would be to me:


((((((((( HE IS RISEN INDEED !!!! )))))))))))





The biggest proof of the reality of the resurrection is that of our changed lives. I KNOW He lives because of what He's done IN me!

HE HAS RISEN INDEED



Love it Judy and you......


And Jesus will do daily in all of our lives, if we take the time to listen, and really listen.

Good morning everyone!


I wish each of you a most wonderful, blessed Easter moning.

All of you have so eloquently stated what the true meaning of Easter is, I know, for me. Sometimes in the hurry and hustle of everyay life, when I think about the sacrifices I have made and what I have gone through, they are nothing compared to what my savior went through. It is amazing, simply amazing.

Thank you for putting into words what is in my heart.

Myra

(((((((Myra)))))) that was beautiful sweets and your so welcome......I am glad we are getting to know each other...


Have a blessed day sweets....

Thank you Feral...Myra, that was beautiful...He is amazing!

HE IS RISEN INDEED!!!!

Worthy is the Lamb
(WARNING: SCENES FROM PASSION OF THE CHRIST)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=00tKQY6b_GU&feature=related

Thank You Jesus!!!