Though often celebrated solemnly and sometimes quietly, Easter remains one of the most significant Christian celebrations. On Easter Friday, our Lord and savior Jesus Christ submitted to death on the cross in obedience to God's plan for mankind's redemption. In Jewish culture, this was one of the lowliest of deaths. It was not surprising that the creator of the universe, Jesus the Christ, was flanked by two common criminals after he was nailed to the cross at Golgotha.
The Easter story is one of the most fascinating I have ever heard; as fascinating as the birth of Jesus which the world celebrates with such pomp and fanfare.
What does Easter mean to me? The son of the Most High God, humbled himself, was born onto this world. He manifested in human flesh but this did not make Him any less God. The bible says the fullness of the godhead dwelt within the human form of Jesus who was fostered by Joseph, the carpenter. Joseph was the fiance of Jesus' mom - Mary who was chosen as God's vehicle to fulfill his plan of redemption for you and I and every other male and female on God's earth. Jesus was 100% man and 100% God as he grew up prancing down the roads and walks of the little town of Nazareth and until he completed his ministry at age 33 years.
The first time I really read and understood the Easter story was the time I gave my life to Christ. Suddenly, the scales literally fell from my eyes when the Holy Spirit increased my understanding of the spiritual issues. Previously, it was just a nice story or at best a Christian myth as intellectually inclined people are likely to describe it.
As the star actors/ actresses of the Easter story - Judas Iscariot, the high priest - Caiaphas, Pilate and his wife as well as the Jews - played the roles that they were scripted to play from the foundations of the world, they fulfilled several prophesies recorded in the scriptures long before the Easter events unfolded. Had they known...
What are the things that really, really excite me when I read the Easter story as a believer? The first thing is the fact that as the saviour of the world writhed in pain from the contemptible treatment he received from the self-same folks he came to save and from the nails that were driven into different parts of his anatomy - darkness fell on the land and lasted from 12 noon to about 3pm.
Jesus cried out, "Eli, Eli lama sabachthani" which means "My God, My God, why have you forsaken me". Some bible scholars have explained that as the filth and sins of the world were heaped on his son, our thrice holy God turned his back on his son for that brief moment in time; and for Jesus, who had endured the unendurable, this was just too much!
Then, a divine and breathtaking thing happened as Jesus died to resurrect on the third day. He conquered death for us all. He became the first of an uncountable number of sons and daughters of God endowed with resurrection power.
The bible records: "Then behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split, and the graves were opened; many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many" (Matthew 27:46-53). Resurrection power was demonstrated in full public glare.
Why did the temple curtain slit down the middle? The death and resurrection of Jesus brought an end to the era whereby only the High Priest had the authority to venture behind the curtain into the Holy of Holies where God's presence was, represented by the ark of covenant and other Holy implements. Others were relegated to the outer courts. Annually, the high priest was the only human permitted to present the blood of animals for the cleansing of the sins of the people in the Holy of Holies. Usually, the priest would approach this annual assignment with great trepidation. This was a very tricky business because even the High Priest was a ‘man’ and so, also susceptible to sin. Since Adam, sin had became part of man's make up or DNA. So, a rope would be tied around the waist of the priest with which they would drag the dead body of the priest out; just in case he did not make it out alive.
When Jesus the son of the Most High God who knew no sin, shed his blood on the cross of Calvary, it meant that the blood of the lamb that takes away the sins of the world was available for the forgiveness of the sins of mankind; no matter how hideous that sin may appear to human beings. The biblical principle is that without the shedding of blood, there is no remission of sins. All we are required to do is ask in faith. Then, the blood of Jesus would cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Thereafter, covered by the blood of Jesus, we have free entrance or access into God's presence - the Holy of Holies - and we can enter into His presence without fear. The blood of Jesus converts us from outcasts (separated from God because of our inherently sinful nature) to sons and daughters of God.
Thank God for the blood of Jesus that takes away the sins of the world! The bible puts it succinctly: if by faith we believe and accept Jesus as our personal savior, 'we are translated from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light (the kingdom of God's dear son, Jesus.) I am sure no one wants to hang around in darkness if he or she can be transferred into a light-filled domain at no cost. Jesus has paid the complete price for our redemption.
The Easter story is one of the most fascinating I have ever heard; as fascinating as the birth of Jesus which the world celebrates with such pomp and fanfare.
What does Easter mean to me? The son of the Most High God, humbled himself, was born onto this world. He manifested in human flesh but this did not make Him any less God. The bible says the fullness of the godhead dwelt within the human form of Jesus who was fostered by Joseph, the carpenter. Joseph was the fiance of Jesus' mom - Mary who was chosen as God's vehicle to fulfill his plan of redemption for you and I and every other male and female on God's earth. Jesus was 100% man and 100% God as he grew up prancing down the roads and walks of the little town of Nazareth and until he completed his ministry at age 33 years.
The first time I really read and understood the Easter story was the time I gave my life to Christ. Suddenly, the scales literally fell from my eyes when the Holy Spirit increased my understanding of the spiritual issues. Previously, it was just a nice story or at best a Christian myth as intellectually inclined people are likely to describe it.
As the star actors/ actresses of the Easter story - Judas Iscariot, the high priest - Caiaphas, Pilate and his wife as well as the Jews - played the roles that they were scripted to play from the foundations of the world, they fulfilled several prophesies recorded in the scriptures long before the Easter events unfolded. Had they known...
What are the things that really, really excite me when I read the Easter story as a believer? The first thing is the fact that as the saviour of the world writhed in pain from the contemptible treatment he received from the self-same folks he came to save and from the nails that were driven into different parts of his anatomy - darkness fell on the land and lasted from 12 noon to about 3pm.
Jesus cried out, "Eli, Eli lama sabachthani" which means "My God, My God, why have you forsaken me". Some bible scholars have explained that as the filth and sins of the world were heaped on his son, our thrice holy God turned his back on his son for that brief moment in time; and for Jesus, who had endured the unendurable, this was just too much!
Then, a divine and breathtaking thing happened as Jesus died to resurrect on the third day. He conquered death for us all. He became the first of an uncountable number of sons and daughters of God endowed with resurrection power.
The bible records: "Then behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split, and the graves were opened; many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many" (Matthew 27:46-53). Resurrection power was demonstrated in full public glare.
Why did the temple curtain slit down the middle? The death and resurrection of Jesus brought an end to the era whereby only the High Priest had the authority to venture behind the curtain into the Holy of Holies where God's presence was, represented by the ark of covenant and other Holy implements. Others were relegated to the outer courts. Annually, the high priest was the only human permitted to present the blood of animals for the cleansing of the sins of the people in the Holy of Holies. Usually, the priest would approach this annual assignment with great trepidation. This was a very tricky business because even the High Priest was a ‘man’ and so, also susceptible to sin. Since Adam, sin had became part of man's make up or DNA. So, a rope would be tied around the waist of the priest with which they would drag the dead body of the priest out; just in case he did not make it out alive.
When Jesus the son of the Most High God who knew no sin, shed his blood on the cross of Calvary, it meant that the blood of the lamb that takes away the sins of the world was available for the forgiveness of the sins of mankind; no matter how hideous that sin may appear to human beings. The biblical principle is that without the shedding of blood, there is no remission of sins. All we are required to do is ask in faith. Then, the blood of Jesus would cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Thereafter, covered by the blood of Jesus, we have free entrance or access into God's presence - the Holy of Holies - and we can enter into His presence without fear. The blood of Jesus converts us from outcasts (separated from God because of our inherently sinful nature) to sons and daughters of God.
Thank God for the blood of Jesus that takes away the sins of the world! The bible puts it succinctly: if by faith we believe and accept Jesus as our personal savior, 'we are translated from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light (the kingdom of God's dear son, Jesus.) I am sure no one wants to hang around in darkness if he or she can be transferred into a light-filled domain at no cost. Jesus has paid the complete price for our redemption.
All quotations are from the New King James Version of the Bible.
