HE IS RISEN!

Today dawns my favorite "holiday" of the year, Easter Day!  I celebrate today because that borrowed tomb where Jesus was laid to rest is empty.  Yes, empty!  Jesus arose from the dead just as he said and lives today!

Because HE lives, I can face tomorrow.  

Because HE lives, all fear is gone.

Because I know HE holds the future,

Life is worth the living just because HE LIVES!

Let's rejoice, praise, and celebrate!  Jesus IS alive!

AND THEN WHAT?

I find nothing in the Bible to document what happened the day after Jesus was crucified.   I only speculate in my mind.

I imagine daily life went on as usual for some.  Maybe there was talk on the street when people met, "Hey, did you see THAT?"

I always like to think of some others already mentioned earlier in the week.  The Mary who had the devils cast out, the lame man, the blind man, Jarius, those 5000 men who were fed along with the women and children, the graveyard guy who had the devils cast out, the eleven disciples, Pilate, and Mary the mother of Jesus.  There HAD to be grief.  GRIEF.

Then I think about Barabbas and the centurion.  Barabbas, a convicted murdered waiting to die, and now he is free and forgiven.  Did his life change or did he continue on doing wrong?  And the centurion who was at the crucifixion and said, "Surely this was the Son of God."  Did he change for the better in his belief?  These are answers we will never know but I like to think that there was a Jesus difference in their lives as there has been in mine.

On this in-between day, I want to share a couple of scriptures for thought.

From the Old Testament:

"Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?

For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness, and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.

He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet, we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed."   Isaiah 53:1-5 (KJV)

And from the New Testament:

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved."  John 3:16, 17 (KJV)

Never lose hope.  Sunday's coming.

Yes, on this day in-between....consider....

THE GREATEST LOVE ON THE DARKEST OF DAYS

Before I sat down to write this post, I read the scripture about the happenings on this day.  My eyes filled with tears as I again recognized the horror that Jesus went through.  Willingly.

Jesus was led away from the garden to where the high priests and scribes and elders were assembled.  They were waiting.  They got what they wanted.  Jesus.  I was thinking as I read this, for all their efforts to capture Jesus, all of this was God's plan.  

Peter followed from aways back to the high priests' palace and joined himself among the servants to see the end.  I wondered if Peter thought Jesus would just walk away and life would go on or if he truly realized this was what Jesus had spoke of so often to his disciples.  

In the "proceedings" there were two false witnesses that appeared.  

Jesus was then spit in the face and struck with the palms of various hands. 

As Peter sat, a girl came and said, "You were with Jesus."  Peter denied with "I know not what you say".  He went out to the porch.  Another girl saw him and said, "This fellow was with Jesus."  Again, Peter denied, this time with an oath and said "I know not the man."  After awhile there came several that stood by him and said, " Surely you are one of 'them'....your speech betrays you."  And Peter, cursing and swearing, said "I know not the man."  Immediately the cock crew.  At that sound, Peter remembered, he went out and wept bitterly.  True repentance involves bitter weeping, doesn't it?  I think from the scriptures after all this that Peter's repentance was real as was the forgiveness he received as he did the work of his Lord.

On the other hand, Judas also feels guilt and took back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders.  He admitted his sin but the chief priests and elders who didn't pay any attention to him or his guilt.  Judas left and hanged himself.  Sin takes a toll.  

Jesus was taken before the Pilate and answered nothing.  It was tradition that at the feast the governor was accustomed to releasing a prison.  The chief priests stirred up the people and when asked by Pilate if he should release Barabbas or Jesus, they said Barabbas.  As for Jesus, it was "crucify him."  Yes, the exchange of a murdered and criminal for the holy Son of God.

Jesus was whipped, stripped, and attired in a scarlet robe.  

A crown of thorns was put on his head.

He was mocked.

He was spit upon.

He was smote on the head with a reed.

After that they put his clothes back on him and led him away to crucify him to Golgotha, a place of a skull.

They gave him vinegar to drink.

They crucified him.

They cast lots for his clothes.

They put a sign "THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS."

He was crucified between two thieves.

There was darkness from the sixth hour unto the ninth hour.  I imagine that all those around from the haughty smug chief priests down to the followers of Jesus all KNEW something was different and the darkness kind of quieted down all those around.  I can almost see it as very eerie and scary.  After all, Jesus, the LIGHT of the world, was about to die.  About the ninth hour, Jesus cried, "My God, my God, why hath thou forsaken me?" (Matthew 27:46 KJV)  Jesus, both God and man, felt all the pain of the human body as he suffered on that cross--the sins of the world on him.   Jesus cried once more with a LOUD voice and then he died.  

The veil of the temple was torn from top to bottom, the earth did quake, the rocks rent, graves were opened and many bodies of the saints which slept arose.

The centurion said, "Truly this was the Son of God."

At the evening, Joseph of Arimathaea went to Pilate and begged the body of Jesus.  He wrapped the body in a clean linen cloth and laid it in his own new tomb.

It was a cruel gruesome death suffered by Jesus.  I wish I could explain it better, but the Bible says it all.  What I can tell you is that Jesus showed the greatest love he could show by taking our sins upon himself and laying down his life for me...and for you...for us. And I can tell you that I believe it ALL!

It seemed like the end but remember as my favorite Easter t-shirt says, "A lot can happen in three days."

Consider....

NOT MY WILL, BUT THINE

Gethsemane, a garden at the foot of the Mount of Olives, is the place where Jesus and his disciples went after their supper together.  

Jesus told the disciples to sit there while he went and prayed.  He took with him Peter, James, and John and was very sorrowful and downhearted.  He told them, "My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me." (Matthew 26:38 KJV)

The Bible goes on to say that he went a little farther, and fell on his face and prayed, saying, "O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt."  (Matthew 26:39 KJV)

The gospel of Luke says that an angel appeared to him from heaven, strengthening him.  It also said he was in agony and prayed so earnestly and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground. 

He came again to his disciples and found them asleep again and he left them and went away to pray the third time.  After that he came to his disciples and told them to "Sleep on now; and take your rest: behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.  Rise, let us be going: behold, he is at hand that doth betray me." (Matthew 26:46, 47 KJV)

While he was speaking, Judas came and along with him were many with swords from the chief priests and elders of the people.  The sign was to be a kiss.  So Judas came to Jesus and said, "Hail master" and kissed him.  Then they came and put held Jesus and took him.  Jesus went willingly.

When I read these passages, my heart cries from the sadness of that dark, dark hour.   Oh, so many, opposites are displayed.  You have a beautiful place of peace....then it becomes an angry sinful place of betrayal.  You have a loving master.....yet sleepy disciples.  You have a willing heart for the Father's will.....yet you have the human-ness of the desire of "if it be possible, let this cup pass from me".  Then you have the surrender and love of the one true Jesus who says, "not my will, but thine."  It fills my heart again and again that Jesus did all this for ME....for YOU....for us ALL!

Consider....

PETER

One of the great leaders of the twelve followers of Jesus was the disciple, Simon Peter.  He always seemed to be at the forefront of all the goings on in that time.  I believe Jesus even said to Simon Peter at one time, "Thou art Peter and on this rock I will build my church..." (Matthew 16:18)  Yes, I think we could say that Peter was one of the bold disciples.

After the supper was ended, Jesus and Peter had a conversation.  As I have said on this blog before, this passage of scripture is one of the scariest to me.  I think I will give you the passage straight from the Bible.  It goes like this, beginning at Luke 22:31:

"And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:  But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.  And he said unto him, Lord, I am ready to go with thee both into prison, and to death.  And he said, I tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day before that thou shalt thrice deny that thou knows me."  Luke 22:31-34 (KJV)

Peter so reminds me of myself. 

I'm certain, just as Jesus said of Peter, that Satan desires to have us all and sift us like wheat.  But we can take comfort and be assured, the Lord has PRAYED for us that our faith fail not.

I tell the Lord over and over.... I will stand for you.  I will share your gospel.  I would never deny you, Lord.  Yeah, right.  I've failed in that so many times, I lose count.  Opportunity after opportunity to tell others about my Jesus.  Yes, just by being quiet, I often deny.  The great thing is that I am able to feel conviction about the denials and can strive to improve with each day.  

Consider....

SUPPERTIME WITH FRIENDS

One of Jesus' disciples, Judas, was visited by the enemy who put in his heart to betray Jesus.  Judas went in to the chief priests and made the offer of betrayal.  The chief priests were so very glad to have his help....this Jesus was causing trouble to them and their plan.  (Somehow that sounds a bit like our world today, doesn't it?)  Judas came to an agreement with them to betray the Lord for thirty pieces of silver, roughly $3840.  When I ponder this, I often find that I "betray" the Lord for much less on occasion.   

Jesus wanted to share the Passover with his disciples.  He gave instruction for the upper room and all he said fit right in place.   

In the evening he met in that room with his twelve disciples.  These were the guys who followed him faithfully, saw all the miracles he did, even were involved directly in the miracles he did, was taught by him of the important spiritual things and so much more.  Yes, even Judas was there among the disciple friends.

Jesus took the bread, blessed it, brake it, and gave them to eat saying, "Take eat, this is my body."

Jesus took the "cup", blessed it, and gave it to them saying "This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many."

I don't find where Jesus ate the bread or drank the cup as "I will drink no more of the fruit of the vine, until that day that I drink it new in the kingdom of God."  That's a good research project for you readers to check me on that.

Jesus also said during suppertime that one of the disciples would betray him.  They all questioned that.  Judas ran out.

Suppertime around my table when I have family and friends is a time of joy together, a time of conversation, and love.  I want the food I prepare to be decent to eat but that's not the biggest deal around my table.  It's the love and joy.   I tried to compare how this supper of Jesus and his friends felt.  Then I remember when we celebrate communion at church and remember what Jesus did for us.  Sometimes my heart rejoices more than at other times but the times of great rejoicing are when I TRULY remember that "He is the bread of life....I will never go hungry" and "His blood covers it ALL."  That is true worship and strength for life here along with expectation of the eternal life we are gifted with because of Jesus.

Consider...

FOREVER CHANGED

Today I want to put some food out for thought about Jesus and the good he did.  I remember as a child always learning that "Jesus went about doing good."  

I start today with thoughts of Jesus who has been on earth doing all these miracles.  There's the Pharisees and the Sadducees who are surely non-believers and I find them almost jealous of Jesus' "popularity".  This kind of reminds me of the enemy when the Lord's work is being done and the Lord is being praised but that's another sermon for another day.

My thoughts have gone today to those to whom HE became special.  

I think of Mary who had those devils cast out.  Her life was changed.

How about the young man in the graveyard who was possessed?  Jesus came by and his life was forever changed.

Then there's the blind guy who was blind since birth but Jesus restored his sight.  And if one is blind since birth, think about it.  That person doesn't know what sight even looks like.  Can you imagine?  Then when he was questioned, he said, "I don't know how he did it but I do know that I was blind and now I SEE!"   Forever changed.

How about the lame man who was told to take up his bed and walk?   He picked up that bed and took off walking...maybe he even ran.  Life changed.

How about Jarius whose precious daughter was dead but now lives?  She's back with him at the supper table.   Life changed.

How about the hungry 5000 men not counting women and children who were fed until their stomachs were packed full from five loaves and two small fishes?  And there were leftovers!  Life changing food for the body and the soul.

And how about sweet Mary, the mother of Jesus, who always knew He was to be special?  Bet she pondered in her heart all those years.   Forever changed.

So many more lives witnessing miracles and life changing events that seemed unbelievable.  Forever changed.

How about you?  Have you been forever changed by Jesus?  I surely have as a young girl when I asked HIM into my heart and believed on HIM as my Lord and Savior.  Now 58 years later, HE is still that and so much more to me!

Yes, I am forever changed!

Consider.....

BECAUSE OF HIM

It's been almost a month since I have blog-written.  I have been busy with medical issues with my parents and since mid-March, The Husband has been experiencing heart issues with a five day stay at a very large big city heart hospital.  His problem is not yet resolved.  He has a heart ablation scheduled in two to three weeks.  If you are a pray-er, I encourage you to do so. 

Yes, I have been physically and mentally exhausted and running on empty.  Way, way empty.  

When I sat down today just to look at the calendar, I realized that we are a week away from my favorite "holiday" of the year--Easter!  With that realization, I took some time to still the crazies of my life and think about this and what it means to me.  I recalled the Easter Sunday, what has it been?  Three years ago when we were had no organized church services to celebrate this wonderful day.  The Husband and I had our own sunrise/sonrise service on our front porch and it was no less precious.  No less precious because the one we celebrate is still alive today!  Our lives with medical issues and heart ablations and inflation and sin and so much more CAN be good in spite of all these distractions.  It's all "because of HIM". 

Because of HIM, we can trust more.  

Because of HIM, we can love more.

Because of HIM, we can walk thru valleys safely and climb the mountains ahead with strength.

Because of HIM, we can rejoice in times of hardship.

Because of HIM, we can choose joy, even when we are running on empty.  Way, way empty.

Because of HIM, we can praise and praise and praise.  And then we can praise some more.

Because of HIM, we can be courageous and fear not.

Because of HIM, we CAN face tomorrow.

As in years past, I invite you to read from the scriptures this week for holy week and remember exactly what our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ did for you, for me, and for all of us.   As in years past, I am going to attempt to post every day....just my thoughts as they relate to this season of sadness and ultimately, this season of joy.  I invite you to check in, especially every night as I hope to have written by then.  

Most of all during this season, I invite you to worship with thanksgiving and joy our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who died and rose again for ALL for us!

Scripture choices are:

Jesus rides into Jerusalem.....Matt 21:1-11; Mark 11:1-11; Luke 19:29-40; John 12:12-19

The Last Supper with the twelve....Matt. 26:17-30; Mark 14:12-26; Luke 22:3-39; John 13

Sold out....Matt 26: 1-16;  Mark 14:1-2, 10-11:  Luke 22:1-6

In the Garden....Matthew 26:36-56; Mark14: 32-52; Luke 22:39-53; John 17, 18:1-11

Guilty?.....Matthew 26:57-75; Mark14:53-72;  Luke 22:54-71; John 18:12-27

A Dark Day....Matthew 27:1-66; Mark 15:1-47; Luke 23; John 18:28-42

The Tomb....Matthew 28; Mark 16; Luke 24; John 20

I will also invite you to read my Holy Week posts for 2022, beginning with "Eggs and the Resurrection", from April 10, 2022 through the following week until resurrection Sunday 2022.

Consider....