Dear friends,
We humans often confuse and forget things. Our busy lives become so crowded by urgent things that we forget the most important things and often confuse detail. Sadly, people have done this with Jesus and Easter. Jesus is confused by many.
Some think that the resurrection never happened.
There are still some people who want to argue that another man was crucified, or that Jesus did not really die on the cross or that his body was removed from the tomb by friends or that the women all went to the wrong tomb. But those arguments are as old as the hills and as weak as water. The Roman army knew what they were doing, and killing people and guarding things were there specialty. Moreover, hundreds saw Jesus alive after he rose and testified to the fact. On the basis of evidence, the resurrection actually happened.
Some are confused about the purpose of Easter.
This confusion is expressed in a number of different ways, but I commonly hear people say that the significance of Easter is the wonderful moral lesson it teaches us about love. Gladly, it is about much more than that.
Confused people will take a personal moral lesson from Easter but leave God at arm’s length. If that is you, then please listen carefully to this.
The death and resurrection of Jesus are historical events that you are involved in.
For it was there at the cross, that God cried out to you,
stop ignoring me, I will forgive you.
Stop pretending I don’t matter and look how much you matter to me.
Stop living life alone, and join the Kingdom of God.
Jesus death on the cross was a death for you – Jesus took your sin and punishment you deserved because of your sin and he took it away in his death. That’s not all.
Jesus rising from death was a rising for you. It announced that you can be justified before God – there is a way open for God to be able to look at you and not see a recalcitrant sinner but someone who looks just as if I’d never sinned.
And that open way is by trusting in him. By recognising he is King of the world, Saviour of the world and deserving of our dedication, praise and obedience.
Our prayer is that you may not be among the confused. But among the convinced. Among the believers. If you’re still not sure, ask for some help today.
Happy Easter.
Nigel Fortescue