photo and graphic: Martha G. Brady
The celebration of Easter has gotten way off track.
We think of Easter eggs and baskets
Spring and flowers.
A new outfit.
Oh yes, and Spring Break!
If we can fit it all in…
We go to church.
In all the flurry of activity
Even the extra church activities…
We sit there and think
Now why did we have the cantata
The Sunrise Service, the Maundy Thursday Communion
And whatever other services we had?
Oh yes, Jesus rose from the dead.
Oh yes, Jesus rose from the dead. In all the rush, we sometimes want to say, Big deal. Share on XIn all the rush, we sometimes want to say, “Big deal.”
But it really is a big deal!
Paul talked about in I Corinthians 15:12-28.
When he said that if Jesus had not been raised from the dead,
We would still be in our sin!
But goes on to give the good news that He did indeed rise from the dead!
But it really is a big deal! I Corinthians 15:12-28 says that if Jesus was not raised from the dead, We would still be in our sin! Share on XIt was a very big deal!
The biggest deal of all. stop
Yes, Jesus died on the cross.
The Great Exchange took place.
His record of living a perfect life on earth for 33 years
In exchange for our crappy records of not doing that!
He carried all our crappy records on His body when He died for us on the cross
As a sacrifice for sin.
Blood had to be shed to pay for sin.
He was the only one who could pay for an infinite number of sins.
But without the Resurrection, we wouldn’t know Jesus won the victory over sin and death!
Think of the loss the disciples felt after Jesus died on Good Friday.
All the hopes they had for kingdom were dashed!
I can’t even imagine their complete and utter hopelessness
As they went through the motions of Sabbath.
But early Sunday morning, when the women went to anoint Jesus’ body…
They found that He was gone from the tomb.
The idea that He was alive was the furthest thing from their minds until…
He appeared to them in person!
A few here.
Some more there.
A group over there.
Soon they were all rejoicing together saying, He's Alive! Share on XSoon they were all rejoicing together saying, “He’s Alive!”
“Hallelujah!”
Let’s join them this Easter.
This is an oldish (late 70’s) song written from Peter’s perspective. I love it!
It draws on some of Peter’s emotion. Please forgive the lily white Jesus and disciples.
HE’S ALIVE
The gates and doors were barred and all the windows fastened down,
I spent the night in sleeplessness and rose at every sound,
Half in hopeless sorrow half in fear the day,
Would find the soldiers crashing through to drag us all away.
Then just before the sunrise I heard something at the wall,
The gate began to rattle and a voice began to call,
I hurried to the window and looked down to the street,
Expecting swords and torches and the sound of soldiers feet,There was no one there but Mary so I went down to let her in,
John stood there beside me as she told us were she’d been,
She said they moved him in the night and none of us knows where,
The stones been rolled away and now his body isn’t there.
We both ran toward the garden then John ran on ahead,
We found the stone and the empty tomb just the way that Mary said,
But the winding sheet they wrapped him in was just an empty shell,
And how or where they’d taken him was more than I could tell.Something strange had happened there but what I did not know,
John believed a miracle but I just turned to go,
Circumstance and speculation couldn’t lift me very high,
Cause I’d seen them crucify him and then I’d watched him die,
Back inside the house again all the guilt and anguish came,
Everything I’d promised him just added to my shame,
But at last it came to choices I denied I knew his name,
Even If he was alive it wouldn’t be the same.But suddenly the air was filled with a strange and sweet perfume,
Light that came from everywhere drove shadows from the room,
Jesus stood before me with his arms held open wide,
And I fell down on my knees and clung to him and cried,
He raised me to my feet and as I looked into his eyes,
Love was shining out from him like sunlight from the sky,
Guilt and my confusion disappeared in sweet release,
And every fear I’d ever had just melted into peace.He’s alive, He’s alive, He’s alive and I’m forgiven,
Heavens gates are open wide.
He’s alive, He’s alive, He’s alive and I’m forgiven,
Heavens gates are open wide.
He’s alive, He’s alive, He’s alive and I’m forgiven,
Heavens gates are open wide.He’s alive!
Don Francisco
Beautiful, thought provoking words Martha. It IS a big deal. Big enough that even the world sees it. Many will show up in a church building for Easter and Christmas, unfortunately that’s not enough. Easter eggs and bunny rabbits get much more traction than I ever remember…Satan is a sneaky one.
Satan is alive and well for sure Christy! fortunately, GOD is still working in the hearts of people…and this is the day we celebrate that He is the One who has won the victory over Satan. Even Satan knows it. He just wants to cause as much disruption as he can before his final incarceration.
Oh yes! The more I think about what Easter means, the more the joy of it completely captures me.
so glad you stopped by amy:) i do find that the older i get, the richer it seems:) wonderful!
I just love this story and this season of the year. Always appreciate your encouragement. I thought I signed up for your post. I’ll sign up again.
thanks martial. you know, i think i accidentally deleted a new sign up the other day. i was trying to see my list and pushed a wrong button and suddenly i had one less sigh up:( could have been yours. sorry i goofed. i’m still trying to learn how to read what is happening with mail chimp. it should be easier than it is for me. i’m not getting it. considering all the other things i have had to learn, i’m not sure why this has been so hard.
Martha, yes amen, Jesus really is the biggest deal. I hope we never forget that. I’m in the #5 spot today.
it truly is isn’t it tara:) blessings on this happy weekend!
Hi Martha- looks kind we’re neighbors on fmf again 🙂
I like the song, especially: Guilt and my confusion disappeared in sweet release,
And every fear I’d ever had just melted into peace.
It paints a lovely image in my head. Thank you for sharing this. ❤️ And when you said “please excuse the lily white Jesus” I thought to myself: isn’t he known as the lily of the valley?
hi julia:) yes, he is described as the lily of the valley metaphorically, but i’m sure He wasn’t as lily white as the drawings here depict. i know it is offensive to some when those kinds of Jesus pictures are shown…and i don’t blame them! i just couldn’t find another version of the song with better illustrations. it is sad to see Him depicted as quite so caucasian when in truth, i’m sure he had much darker hair color and skin tone than a lily white, american caucasian Jesus might have. after all, they didn’t have sunblock for their skin and with all those hours in the sun, i’m sure He must have been quite tan…along with his disciples!
i know, it is a small note beside the very important one of the fact that He lives! What joyful news for all of us:) nice to see you again julia:) (i have a niece with that name.)
I’m drawn to small lately. But the news He is alive is very good news for me, us, even as I can’t fully grasp. It’s nice to sit in it. And soak it in.
(That is very cool you have a niece with my name 🙂 it doesn’t feel as common as other names to me.)
yes, she is grown now…out of high school and in jr. college. the oldest of 10 children. one family is very prolific:) her other aunts and uncles (brother and sister of her dad) each have only one child. i guess it all balanced out.