Easter Sunday 2022 | “Go!”

Never forget the price that Jesus paid and the cost God incurred in order to bring about our salvation.

Happy Easter!

For the last 40 days we have been preparing to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The day has finally come.

I encourage you to do a couple things today. First, I encourage you to celebrate the goodness of God in making a way for our reconciliation with him. Never forget the price that Jesus paid and the cost God incurred in order to bring about our salvation. We can rejoice in all of this because God is good.

Second, I would encourage you to make an intentional effort in the coming week to share with someone why Easter matters. Not only that it matters to you as a follower of Jesus Christ, as important as that is. But how it matters to the one with whom you share the good news of the gospel.

One of the primary obligations we have as Christians is to tell the story of Jesus. I think what we often get wrong is we tell the story in a way that keeps us out of it. I believe that is a mistake.

If you have been saved by the precious blood of the Lamb of God then the story you tell IS your story as well. It is not your story because you did anything worthy of salvation. It is not your story because you have somehow impressed God with your newfound righteousness. It is your story because the one that Jesus saved was you!

So today enjoy the celebrations and the time of reflection. But tomorrow I invite you to go.

Go tell someone how grateful you are God has restored you to fellowship with him and with those whom you share fellowship with in your church.

Maybe that’s not something you’re comfortable doing. The truth is I’m not sure how many are. But if you are even a little bit thankful for God’s grace it is a discomfort worth enduring so someone else might also come to know what you know.

I am not saying be pushy or rude. Don’t try to “save” anyone. Just talk about this moment, this even, this reality that has impacted your life.

So go. Do not allow fear or doubt or uncertainty to keep you from going.

He Is Risen!

Happy Easter!

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Easter 2010 (Pt. 7) | “Father, into your hands…”

Easter 2010 Meditations

The Seventh Word

⁴⁴It was now about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour, ⁴⁵while the sun’s light failed. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. ⁴⁶Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” And having said this he breathed his last. ⁴⁷Now when the centurion saw what had taken place, he praised God, saying, “Certainly this man was innocent!” ⁴⁸And all the crowds that had assembled for this spectacle, when they saw what had taken place, returned home beating their breasts. ⁴⁹And all his acquaintances and the women who had followed him from Galilee stood at a distance watching these things. (Luke 23:44-49)

Meditation on the Seventh Word

Death, the final enemy, no longer has the power to terrorize or torment us. The only power death has over us is the power we give it. Those who have placed their trust in Christ can follow His lead into the presence of God. These are words of comfort; words of peace; words of instruction. The journey that Jesus has traveled has been long and, at times, difficult. But we see here in the final moments that the reward is worth the cost. “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” Jesus is dead. The hope of Glory seems to have been lost. We are left now with the heavy charge to contemplate these things.

Easter 2010 (Pt. 6) | “It is finished!”

Easter 2010 Meditations

The Sixth Word

³⁰When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished… (John 19:30)

Meditation on the Sixth Word

We are drawing to the end. Jesus has submitted himself to the full brunt and breadth of what God had intended in Jesus’ death. Jesus looks out toward the crowds, both in front of him and those generations yet unborn, and with the little bit of energy he has remaining he completes the work for which He was sent. There is nothing lacking or deficient in Christ sacrifice for our salvation. He has paid the full price and has closed the book on His work. Jesus has not faltered and he has not failed. “It is Finished!”

Easter 2010 (Pt. 5) | “I Thirst”

Easter 2010 Meditations

The Fifth Word

²⁸After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the Scripture), “I thirst.” ²⁹A jar full of sour wine stood there, so they put a sponge full of the sour wine on a hyssop branch and held it to his mouth. (John 19:28)

Meditation on the Fifth Word

The true humanity of Jesus is now on full display. The one that said he was “living water” now finds himself thirsting. The loss of blood, the savage beatings that he has endured, the humiliation that He has suffered has sapped what little energy Jesus has left. In this moment Jesus identifies with us as a people who continually go to dry and broken cistern for refreshment. What we are challenged to see is that the only lasting satisfaction for us is to be found in Jesus. And so Jesus thirsts so that we may never thirst again. He invites us to drink deeply from the wellspring of His life and righteousness. I encourage you to see and understand that Jesus’ identification with us is the clearest sign that faith in Him is the only true and genuine religion.

Easter 2010 (Pt. 4) | “My God, My God…”

Easter 2010 Meditations

The Fourth Word

³³And when the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. ³⁴And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Mark 15:33-34)

Meditation on the Fourth Word

Jesus’ 33 years on earth were the most turbulent years in the existence of God. For the first time in the span of eternity the perfect communion of the God-head was impeded by flesh and blood. In these words we hear the ultimate suffering of God. Anyone who believes that God has not paid a price in our redemption has missed the Cross. For it is here that we see Jesus standing in our distress. For the first time in God’s existence God experienced what it was like to be separated from God in the person of Jesus. When you cry out to God because He feels so distant, and you will, never forget that God Himself knows what you are going through. Therefore, “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16, ESV).

Easter 2010 (Pt. 3) | “Woman, behold, your son!”

Easter 2010 Meditations

The Third Word

²⁵but standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. ²⁶When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” ²⁷Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home. (John 19:25-27)

Meditation on the Third Word

Of all the words that Jesus spoke that afternoon this is the one that stands juxtaposed against the others. In the midst of all the suffering and pain that was being experienced and seen, none could have been more devastated than Mary, Jesus’ mother. Mary, was the beneficiary of the single greatest revelation of God that God has ever given. It was to Mary that the Messiah was sent. And it was from Mary that the Messiah that was conceived in her womb and born. And even now as Jesus is dying He thinks of her and entrusts her into the hands of his dear friend John. Jesus’ exemplifies for us that our earthly responsibilities are not something to be dismissed as life draws to a close. Have you thought of your family and friends in light of your mortality? What would you have them remember? Jesus loved Mary to the end.

Easter 2010 (Pt. 2) | “Today you will be with Me…”

Easter 2010 Meditations

The Second Word

³⁹ One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” ⁴⁰ But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? ⁴¹And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” ⁴² And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” ⁴³ And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.” (Luke 23:39-43)

Meditation on the Second Word

The promise of eternal life is not something we have to wait for. At the moment that we put our trust in Jesus, He promises that we have entered into the family of God. Too often we make the terrible mistake of thinking that it is our knowledge of Jesus that will matter. No, dear friends. It is not whether you remember Jesus in those moments of fear, confusion or despair. What will matter when we are confronted with our own mortality will be if He remembers you. The only thing that causes Jesus to remember us is faith, for “without faith it is impossible to please God” (Hebrews 11:6) and when Jesus returns Luke tells us that there will be a question asked. It is this, “…When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” (Luke 18:8). Do you want to be remembered? Than place your faith in Jesus.

Easter 2010 (Pt. 1) | “Father, Forgive them…”

Easter 2010 Meditations

The First Word

³² Two others, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him. ³³ And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. ³⁴ And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And they cast lots to divide his garments. ³⁵ And the people stood by, watching, but the rulers scoffed at him, saying, “He saved others; let him save himself, if he is the Christ of God, his Chosen One!” ³⁶ The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine ³⁷ and saying, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” ³⁸ There was also an inscription over him, “This is the King of the Jews.” (Luke 23:33-38)

Mediation on the First Word

From the vantage point of the cross Jesus’ perspective was crystal clear. He looked at the throngs that encircled Him and the thieves that hung with Him and spoke the words that only someone who sees the truth of the situation could. It was here on the cross that God’s wrath was meted out with the full weight and fury that Sin deserved. But as God’s wrath landed upon Jesus, what emerged from Jesus’ mouth were words of love. Our ignorance does not remove our responsibilities of our past, but our ignorance will not disqualify us from believing in the future. When you wonder, “How can God possibly continue to love me when I fail so badly?” I say to you look to Jesus and hear these words, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

<a href=”http://christiandojo.wordpress.com/2010/04/04/easter-2010-pt-1-father-forgive-them/”>”Father, Forgive them…”</a>
<a href=”http://christiandojo.wordpress.com/2010/04/05/easter-2010-pt-2-today-you-will-be-with-me/”>”Today you will be with Me”</a>
<a href=”http://christiandojo.wordpress.com/2010/04/06/easter-2010-pt-3-woman-behold-your-son/”>”Woman, behold, your son!”</a>
<a href=”http://christiandojo.wordpress.com/2010/04/07/easter-2010-pt-4-my-god-my-god/”>”My God, My God…”</a>
<a href=”http://christiandojo.wordpress.com/2010/04/08/easter-2010-pt-5-i-thirst/”>”I Thirst”</a>
<a href=”http://christiandojo.wordpress.com/2010/04/09/easter-2010-pt-6-it-is-finished/”>”It is Finished!”</a>
<a href=”http://christiandojo.wordpress.com/2010/04/10/easter-2010-pt-7-father-into-your-hands/”>”Father, into your hands…”</a>