I hope you all had a wonderful Easter weekend. I hope you spent Holy Week reflecting on the events that led to our Savior’s suffering, death, and resurrection. Every event in Jesus’ life was for us — for you and me. From Christ’s birth, teaching, service, miracles, and especially His suffering, death, and resurrection, our Father sent His Son for us — for our redemption. Wow.
I wonder, if I came upon the scene in Jerusalem where Jesus was on trial or on the cross, and I knew how the proceedings were twisted, illegal, and unjustifiable, would I think of this as a murder mystery? Who would want to harm this man who performed miracles? Who could find fault with the love that was evident in His eyes? Or would I recognize Him as the Savior of the world?
I do believe this was murder, as evil intentions desiring a selfish end sought out the death of Jesus. Yet God planned all along to accomplish the salvation of the world by giving His Son over into the hands of sinful men with murderous hearts. Jesus’ death was foretold in Scripture. Our sin separated us from our Creator and in righteous judgement, we should be condemned to death and hell — but the Lord, in mercy and grace, sent His Son to earth — to be born in a stable, serve and teach His people, suffer and die, and rise again in victory — and He did this out of His great love for us.
How do you pick one Scripture verse to share with others this great revelation? My prayer is that as you read one verse, you will feel the need to know more about the Lord and His plans for His people.
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him (John 3:16–17).
For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, (1 Peter 3:18).
He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed (1 Peter 2:24).
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast (Ephesians 2:8–9).
Easter isn’t over. Easter is every day we spend giving glory to our Creator. Easter is every day some lost soul hears the true story of God’s amazing grace and learns there is hope.
Happy Easter, my dear friends! He is risen indeed. Alleluia!
Today, and always, we are surrounded by HIS grace,
Debbie
