HAPPY EASTER.
1 Corinthians 15:54 …Death is swallowed up in victory.
Oh Friends, the BIG DAY is finally here! It’s Easter Sunday morning! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Glory Hallelujah! The seed that was planted three days ago, with the Lord’s excellent green thumb, has defiantly sprouted, causing us to exult, as Bruh Paul did when he paraphrased Hosea 13:14: ‘O Death, where is thy sting? O Grave, where is thy victory?’ (1 Cor.15:55) Yes Friends, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ defeated death and the grave when He rose victoriously from the dead that Sunday morning so long ago. For that we should gratefully thank and praise Him. ‘Oh Jesus, we know how difficult your passion was, how excruciating the pain, both physical and emotional, especially when it seemed that the Father had forsaken you. But despite it all, you persevered; you bore the tremendous weight of our sins on your brave shoulders, allowing your precious blood to be shed as a sacrifice for us unworthy sinners. Then three days later, on an ordinary day like today, you made further history, by rising from the battle with death victorious for ever more. With that victory, you gave us new life, a second chance, ushered in a new period; one of grace, salvation and eternal life for those who believe in and trust in you. And even now, you’re still advocating with the Father on our behalf. We can never repay your selfless deeds, neither are there any words in our limited vocabulary to really express our true gratitude. So we’ll just say a simple thanks, knowing that you’ll understand. Thank you, Lord Jesus! We praise and adore you, and will valiantly try to be good and faithful followers of your Holy Word. In all that we do, we’ll endeavour to glorify you and further your kingdom. That’s the best way we can show our true appreciation. We humbly ask that you guide us with your Holy Spirit, so that we can achieve those worthwhile ends. We pray this in your Name. Amen.’ My people, though Christmas is celebrated with more pomp and ceremony, Easter is truly the most important time in the annals of the Christian faith, for it’s then that the faith truly was born. Jesus’ birth was important, but without His sacrificial death, resurrection and ascension to the Father’s right hand, there’d be no Christianity as we know it. There’d have been no grace, salvation, forgiveness or eternal life. We’d all still be worthless sinners living under the shadow of death and eternal damnation, forever separated from the just, righteous and LOVING God who created us. But once Jesus took our weighty sins and washed them clean with His precious blood on that barren, windswept hill called Calvary, then everything changed…for the better. It was like the death knell for dreary, back breaking winter. A heavy load was lifted off our souls, we were no longer burdened with sin. And when He rose victoriously…Oh mih people, it was like a beautiful spring morning; fresh and clean, with the sun rising majestically over the horizon, birds whistling and frolicking and a cool breeze titillating the new leaves of the trees. My Friends, Jesus’ resurrection breathed a spring like atmosphere into our souls and lives. It was a completely different season; new, innovative, assertive, enervative and energizing. A season that like spring, held fresh promise of greater things to come. And they certainly did, as we’re celebrating almost two thousand years later. Oh Friends our God is certainly a good God, because earlier on I wondered what I was going to write about on such a special occasion. I didn’t want to write about the same old particulars; how Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early the Sunday morning and saw the stone rolled back, then ran and told the disciples. Of how John and Peter went and found the tomb empty, then just went back home, while Mary hung around crying. Then Jesus appeared to her first, asking: ’Woman, why weepest thou? Whom seekest thou?’ (John 20:15) And she, not recognizing Him, thinking he was a gardener, pleaded for news of Jesus’ whereabouts. And only when He called her name ‘Mary,’ she realized it was Jesus, proving His claim: ‘and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.’ (John 10:4) But thankfully, and with perfect timing, the Spirit led me on a different path; a broader one, more intent on showing what Easter meant to our faith in the greater scheme of things. And Christ’s resurrection was surely a victory over death: ‘Death swallowed up in victory,’ as Bruh Paul paraphrased Isaiah. I think it’s only fitting that we quote the specific passage from Isaiah, because it’s a perfect prophecy. ‘He will swallow up death in victory (forever); and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the Lord hath spoken it. And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.’ (Isa.25:8-9) And isn’t that the gospel truth my people? We have waited, and today we are glad and rejoicing in His salvation. Praise His Most Holy and Righteous Name! Have a blessed Easter my Friends. And please, don’t ever forget, or fail to deeply appreciate what Jesus so unselfishly did for us. Much LOVE!…let’s go home singing…Oh happy day…when Jesus washed…when He washed…all my sins away…Oh happy day indeed…
SCRIP-BITS 