March 31st, 2024
by Bob DeFelice
by Bob DeFelice
Whether you call today - Easter Sunday or Resurrection Sunday ... I think we can all agree that the big story today - Isn’t about celebrating the Easter Bunny but celebrating the Easter Lamb! ... The Risen Lord!
"The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world."
The big story today - is that Jesus Christ Rose from the Dead. He is alive. God's not dead.
There’s no story bigger than that! No event that surpasses it!
It’s never happened before - nor ever since ... in all of human history. Of the thousands of Religions in the world - no religious leader as Jesus Christ (who said He was God and proved it) have ever stepped into time to rescue their creation - even allowing their creation to kill Him - only to rise from the dead - defeating death for all who believe in Him. All others tell you - that you may be saved (not certainly) -but try to be - by reaching up to God (through effort and many works to be accepted) - only the God of the Bible - (the God of Christianity) reaches down to save us -through our simple faith in His works - the works of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is GOD - He is who He said He is and - TODAY WE COMMEMORATE THAT CHRIST IS ALIVE IN OUR HEARTS - WE WHO BELIEVE ARE ALIVE IN HIM TOO!
But sadly I think - and you can Look around the world today and it seems the excitement and luster has faded a bit - it's a little worn off. Has the resurrection become too familiar? Old hat? A boring old story. Like a worn out "Easter Parade" - tattered wooden floats -that comes 'round every year - uninspiring - as we get older we just flip the channel?
The disciples weren’t excited because He died. They were excited - because He came Alive!
After 3 days - He rose from the dead - By His own power - Only God can do that! That was the Good News they were shouting about. Christ is Risen!
So - Let’s not get too distracted with the times ...
Jesus explains this to Nicodemus the Pharisee - a covert believer who came to Jesus at night (because he was part of the Jewish leadership who wanted Jesus put to death and he (Nicodemus) worried they’d throw him out of their group) -
So Jesus tells him something he could relate to - in John 3:14-17 (it says)
Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up ....
(that’s a scene from the Old Testament - Numbers Chapter 21 - at that time the people with Moses ... traveling through the desert got impatient and were grumbling about life -("we should-a stayed in Egypt as slaves to die - not out here in the desert") just grumbling about their circumstances- talking smack - and cursing God - so God sent venomous snakes - (you know life can suck - but it sucks a whole lot less when poisonous snakes aren’t also trying to kill you)- the people realized they sinned - so they repented and asked Moses to talk to God for them - so he prayed and God told Moses - make a bronze snake - put it on a pole and whoever looks to it - if they are bitten - they will be healed. That's what happened. [Numbers 21:4-9]. They confessed that they messed up - they repented (they had a change of mind and heart). And God gave them a way out - a way to be saved from death.
Nicodemus could relate. So (back to John 3:14) as Jesus was saying .....
"Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up,
v15 that everyone who believes may have eternal life in Him.”
(not just for this life - but everlasting life) Why?
v 16 (explains) For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.
It was because of LOVE.
That's what our Easter Baskets should be filled with today and all the year through - Christ's LOVE.
v17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.
That bronze snake was God's antidote to the Hebrews for sin at that TIME. Jesus is God's antidote for our sin - to all who believe - for ALL TIME!
That's The Good News Of Easter!
That’s why it’s so important that each year as we mark and celebrate Easter – that we don’t treat it as a tired old parade in our hearts - something just ordinary - routine and mundane –but that the world would see - the hope and joy we have in Jesus.
In a world running desperately low on Hope!
Share the Faith - Hope and Love you have in Christ this Easter Season and remember - keep watch – He is coming soon … God desires that none should miss it!
Amen.
"The LORD bless you and keep you; The LORD make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you; The LORD lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace." ~ Numbers 6:24-26
"The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world."
The big story today - is that Jesus Christ Rose from the Dead. He is alive. God's not dead.
There’s no story bigger than that! No event that surpasses it!
It’s never happened before - nor ever since ... in all of human history. Of the thousands of Religions in the world - no religious leader as Jesus Christ (who said He was God and proved it) have ever stepped into time to rescue their creation - even allowing their creation to kill Him - only to rise from the dead - defeating death for all who believe in Him. All others tell you - that you may be saved (not certainly) -but try to be - by reaching up to God (through effort and many works to be accepted) - only the God of the Bible - (the God of Christianity) reaches down to save us -through our simple faith in His works - the works of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is GOD - He is who He said He is and - TODAY WE COMMEMORATE THAT CHRIST IS ALIVE IN OUR HEARTS - WE WHO BELIEVE ARE ALIVE IN HIM TOO!
But sadly I think - and you can Look around the world today and it seems the excitement and luster has faded a bit - it's a little worn off. Has the resurrection become too familiar? Old hat? A boring old story. Like a worn out "Easter Parade" - tattered wooden floats -that comes 'round every year - uninspiring - as we get older we just flip the channel?
The disciples weren’t excited because He died. They were excited - because He came Alive!
After 3 days - He rose from the dead - By His own power - Only God can do that! That was the Good News they were shouting about. Christ is Risen!
So - Let’s not get too distracted with the times ...
- When Jesus died - He defeated satan.
- When Jesus rose - He defeated death.
- For all who would believe - He rescued all out of this world.
Jesus explains this to Nicodemus the Pharisee - a covert believer who came to Jesus at night (because he was part of the Jewish leadership who wanted Jesus put to death and he (Nicodemus) worried they’d throw him out of their group) -
So Jesus tells him something he could relate to - in John 3:14-17 (it says)
Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up ....
(that’s a scene from the Old Testament - Numbers Chapter 21 - at that time the people with Moses ... traveling through the desert got impatient and were grumbling about life -("we should-a stayed in Egypt as slaves to die - not out here in the desert") just grumbling about their circumstances- talking smack - and cursing God - so God sent venomous snakes - (you know life can suck - but it sucks a whole lot less when poisonous snakes aren’t also trying to kill you)- the people realized they sinned - so they repented and asked Moses to talk to God for them - so he prayed and God told Moses - make a bronze snake - put it on a pole and whoever looks to it - if they are bitten - they will be healed. That's what happened. [Numbers 21:4-9]. They confessed that they messed up - they repented (they had a change of mind and heart). And God gave them a way out - a way to be saved from death.
Nicodemus could relate. So (back to John 3:14) as Jesus was saying .....
"Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up,
v15 that everyone who believes may have eternal life in Him.”
(not just for this life - but everlasting life) Why?
v 16 (explains) For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.
It was because of LOVE.
That's what our Easter Baskets should be filled with today and all the year through - Christ's LOVE.
v17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.
That bronze snake was God's antidote to the Hebrews for sin at that TIME. Jesus is God's antidote for our sin - to all who believe - for ALL TIME!
That's The Good News Of Easter!
That’s why it’s so important that each year as we mark and celebrate Easter – that we don’t treat it as a tired old parade in our hearts - something just ordinary - routine and mundane –but that the world would see - the hope and joy we have in Jesus.
In a world running desperately low on Hope!
Share the Faith - Hope and Love you have in Christ this Easter Season and remember - keep watch – He is coming soon … God desires that none should miss it!
Amen.
"The LORD bless you and keep you; The LORD make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you; The LORD lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace." ~ Numbers 6:24-26
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