There are some things in life that as an adult you’re just expected to know. I remember when older people used to discuss John F. Kennedy’s assassination and death. Most of the world seem to know the details, but not me. I was a 1-year old when Kennedy was shot. So I wasn’t in the “know”. Also, most adults know the 50 states and their capitals. I’m not sure if I was asleep when we supposedly learned these facts in elementary school; I was a good student and loved school. But I am embarrassed to admit that I never learned these universal facts. I’ve had to study, and my hubby has helped me learn them!
There are just some universal facts or truths that it seems we all know or should know. But, the older I get the more I realize, sometimes everyone is not “in the know” on important events or facts.
This past year, I was teaching in an organization, Good News Club, that I’ve been involved with for numerous years. But something happened that left me somewhat in awe.
Good News Club meets after school and teaches boys and girls 1st-5th graders Bible stories and the truth about God and Jesus in the Bible. This particular day, I was the one teaching the Bible lesson. And it was about Jesus taking the punishment for our sin and dying in our place. When I was finished instructing the 60+ kids in our group, we prayed and a little girl came forward. I had already noticed her as she was so attentive during the 20-minute Bible lesson. She was only 8-years old and sat intently on the front row.
When I asked her why she came forward, she didn’t hesitate. “I want Jesus,” she replied. As we began to talk, and I asked her more questions about herself and her background, she openly commented, “I didn’t know.” I said, “What didn’t you know?” “I didn’t know Jesus died for me. I have never heard that.”
Stunned. Flabbergasted. I have taught children since I helped my mom when she taught first grade Sunday School and helped her teach Vacation Bible School when I was in high school. God called me to teach from a young age, so I had lots of varied experiences working with children as a teenager and then God brought even more experiences in college and beyond. Counseling children was a task I had done since being a young adult. But never in my 40+ years of speaking to children and asking about their relationship with God had I ever heard a child say this.
I was almost speechless. She went on to explain that her family didn’t attend church; the last few months she had been reading a children’s Bible that her grandmother had given her. I was ecstatic hearing this!
That precious child did pray to receive Jesus that day. I was overjoyed! But what still stuck out in my mind was that this little girl lived in the United States of America, in an area about 3 miles from my house, in the Bible belt of Georgia, but she had never heard that Jesus died for her!!!
All that to say, maybe you’re like this girl. But you are an adult. You know Good Friday and Easter have something to do with God’s son, Jesus. You’re aware of some of the details, but no one has ever connected all the dots for you. I plan to do that right now. I’m not taking anything for granted.
I’m convinced that there are adults walking around, going to work, riding on elevators and doing life in the United States of America that do not know or understand what Easter is about. So here goes.
In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth, the sun, moon, stars, planets. Then, he spoke into existence the birds of the air, oceans, rivers, animals, plants, etc. I’m not worrying about the correct order. He saved his most special creation for last – man. While everything else was “spoken by Him” into existence, but with man God formed him from the dust of the earth and then breathed life into Him. He was personally involved in this creation – no sitting back and just uttering words. When a suitable mate wasn’t found for Adam, God created Eve. Eve was fashioned from a rib in Adam, as God, in all his wisdom just put Adam to sleep and performed the first surgery in heaven. No anesthesia was needed.
Adam and Eve resided with God in the Garden of Eden. They walked and talked with Holy God, their Father and Creator and enjoyed sweet fellowship. God told the couple that the entire Garden was for their enjoyment, and they could eat from any tree except for the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. It was in the center of the Garden, and that was the one rule they needed to obey.
Eve was tempted by the serpent; Satan made her question God’s word; he coaxed her into taking a bite from the forbidden fruit. Eve coaxed Adam and got him to eat from the fruit as well. Immediately, Adam and Eve realized they were naked and tried to hide from God in the Garden and attempted to cover themselves with fig leaves. But it didn’t work. They had no remedy for what they had done. They were ashamed and realized they had disobeyed God’s command. Sin had entered the world. Sin is anything we think, say or do that doesn’t please God. God is holy…perfect, pure and set apart in every way. He can’t be close to sin because He is righteous. Their disobedience and rebellion against God changed their relationship with their Maker. God could no longer be close with His precious creation. It broke His heart as He loved them both so much.
Because of their sin, God had to kill an animal; its skin provided coverings for Adam and Eve. It was the first time that death entered the picture, and the first time that blood was shed. Also, Adam, Eve and the serpent all received consequences from God because of their disobedience (Genesis 3). In addition, they were banished from the Garden of Eve. God kicking the two out of the Garden was a consequence from their sin. But it was also protection. Another tree in the Garden was the Tree of Life. If Adam and Eve had eaten from the Tree of Life (after sinning), they would’ve remained in a sinful state forever. God, in all His wisdom, knew this and loved the couple so much. He didn’t want that so He tossed them out of their only home for their own protection and because of His great love.
Because of Adam and Eve’s sin, all of humanity is cursed. Each of us is born with sin in us…and separated from God. This separation is not what God wanted. From the beginning of time, He wanted a close and loving relationship with each of us.
Paul tells us in Romans, the “wages for sin is death” (Romans 6:23). Based on God’s standard outlined in this verse, each of us should have to die. But God didn’t want that. He had a plan so that we could be drawn back into a relationship with Him.
We, as mere humans, couldn’t do anything to get back into a right relationship with the One True Holy God. Just as it was futile for Adam and Eve to try and clothe themselves with fig leaves, we too can’t get back to God through righteous deeds, trying to be good, going to church, giving money, etc. We can’t be good enough. In the days of the Old Testament, God had the people offer up animal sacrifices to make payment for their sin. But this act of using a spotless lamb as a sacrifice was only a temporary fix. And God knew this when He set up this system.
None of this took Him by surprise. From the beginning when He made Adam and Eve, He gave them the gift of choice or free will…and knew they would mess up.
God had His only Son, Jesus, go to earth in the form of a man. Jesus put on flesh and bones and left his place of royalty in heaven to come live among us. He connected with every outcast, every person on the fringe, every sinner and rebel. He healed the sick, the diseased, the downtrodden and made the blind to see and the lame to walk. But Jesus’ main mission was to die in our place…to be our substitute.
Back in the Old Testament, God told the Israelites they must atone for their sins. His rule for sin was death; that was the punishment. So the people followed God’s law and took a lamb – not any lamb, but their best lamb with no blemishes, hurt legs, bad places — a spotless lamb. They put in on an altar and killed it. The lamb’s blood atoned for the people’s sins.
Blood has to be shed when sin is present. It is part of the payment. Again, this remedy is God’s system.
Jesus was the Lamb of God who took away the sins of the world. He was perfect, holy and didn’t deserve to die. His sacrifice would be permanent.
But his death was God’s plan from the beginning of time.
Jesus knew crucifixion was his destiny. As Jesus rode into Jerusalem, the crowds waved palm branches and praised Him (why we celebrate Palm Sunday). Just a week later, they yelled, “Crucify him!”
Before Jesus was put to death, we know he experienced gruesome suffering. Here is the account from John 19: “Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged. The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head. They clothed him in a purple robe and went up to him again and again, saying, ‘Hail, king of the Jews!’ And they struck him in the face.”
It should be noted that flogging could have killed Jesus. The usual procedure was to bare the upper half of the victim’s body and tie his hands to a pillar before whipping him with a three-pronged whip. The number of lashes was determined by the severity of the crime; up to 40 were permitted under Jewish law. (copied from commentary notes from Life Application Bible).
The whip usually contained pieces of metal or bone that ripped and tore the flesh so that it was excruciating and painful. The crown of thorns, the purple robe and their constant verbal jabs were to mock him.
Jesus was forced by the soldiers to carry a huge wooden cross through the streets of Jerusalem after he was flogged. Can you picture it? This man that had been kind, healed the sick, reached out to tax collectors and prostitutes, loved on children and cast out demons was now being tortured, punishes and headed to be crucified! Business was as usual on that cobblestone street where Jesus carried his cross, but there was nothing “usual” about this sight.
As Jesus and the soldiers topped the hill to Calvary or Golgotha, he was nailed to a wooden cross. Huge nails were hammered into his wrists and his feet. His arms were stretched wide.
Crucifixion was a brutal and agonizing death as it was excruciating to breathe. Victims usually suffocated. As he hung there, soldiers and some in the crowd mocked him and made fun of him. “Hail, King of the Jews!” “He saved others, let Him save Himself!
Jesus did not retaliate or get angry. Instead, He prayed, “Father, forgive them for they don’t know what they’re doing.” Even in intense pain and struggling to breathe, Jesus showed us that He was God incarnate. Even during this unbelievably gruesome death, His character remained pure and holy; He did not sin. Instead, His righteousness and love shone through in His darkest hour.
As much as Jesus had suffered physically, I believe His greatest suffering was when God, the Father, was forced to turn His back on His precious only Son. The Bible tells us Jesus took all the sins of the world on Him – every gruesome sin, little lies, huge lies and despicable things that we don’t speak of – all of that punishment that should’ve happened to each of us was put on Jesus. In fact, the Bible says, “He became sin for us.” That’s how great his sacrifice was. He bore the pain that should’ve been yours and mine. As Jesus satisfied the wrath of God by enduring the cross, He felt His Father turn away from Him.
It’s why Jesus was heard saying on the cross, “Father, why have you forsaken me?”
Let that sink in. The God who rules and reigns over the entire Universe, who had always been ONE with His Son, had to turn his back on Jesus. Why would God do such a thing? He had to if He was to remain faithful to His character of Holiness and Purity. He couldn’t look on sin or be close. And He knew this when He sent Jesus. But He was willing to have Jesus endure the cross and separate from His Precious Son so you and I could be back into a right relationship with Him.
Why would Jesus remain on the cross? Jesus had come to earth as a man, but He was still divine. He had the power of God in Him. He could’ve called down 10,000 angels as the Bible states – or rescued himself. Why did he choose to stay on that rugged cross and be tortured, mocked and spit on? Because of His obedience to the Father, and His love for you and me.
Philippians 2:6-8 puts it best, “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death – even death on a cross.”
At noon, something strange happened. The sky became very dark. It was like it was night. For three hours, this darkness continued. The sun didn’t shine. I don’t mean it was a little cloudy. It was an eerie darkness. Jesus suffered. All our sins—sins of everyone in the world were put on Jesus. It was as if God was grieving, and He wanted all the world to know it.
Then Jesus cried out, “It is finished.” He had done what God had asked him to and fulfilled His purpose. He had died in your place and mine.
Soldiers went to break the legs of the men hanging on the cross to speed up their death. When they got to Jesus, they didn’t have to. He was already dead. But one of the soldiers stabbed him with a spear. Blood and water came out of his side, proving Jesus died.
700 years before all this took place, Isaiah, the prophet, had prophesied and told all this would happen to Jesus. Isaiah said, “By his stripes we are healed,” meaning the stripes on Jesus’ back from when he was whipped.
And he even prophesied that no bones would be broken on Jesus, the Messiah. Everything God had said about Jesus came true because God knows it all and is in control.
Well, back to the story. When Jesus died, and said, “It is finished” and earthquake happened. It shook the ground and was worse than anyone could’ve imagined, and it was still so dark. Right at that moment another miracle happened.
There was a huge thick curtain that hung in the temple. This curtain separated Holy God from sinful people. No one could go in The Holy of Holies in the temple because it represented God. Only the priest could go in there. But when Jesus died, He made a way for us to be close to God again. He was the bridge that we could cross to get us back to God. That huge curtain was suddenly torn from top to bottom!!! Only God could’ve done that! It was another sign! Because of Jesus being our substitute and shedding His blood, we can now get close to God again!!! The curtain or our sin didn’t separate us anymore.
One of the soldiers that was close to Jesus’ cross, looked up after seeing Jesus being loving, praying for people and the darkness and earthquake. He said, “Truly this was the Son of God.”
Now, this account is not the end of the story. Joseph of Arimathea was a wealthy man and a secret disciple of Jesus. He asked for Jesus’ body to be placed in his own personal tomb. His body was taken down from the cross and wrapped in pieces of linen cloth and laid in the tomb. A huge boulder was rolled in front so that no one could steal his body or disturb it.
Can you imagine? His disciples that had walked, talked, fellowshipped with Jesus and seen Him perform miracles were feeling? They had to be confused, perplexed, scared and wondering what was going on? This man had spoken to the winds and waves during a violent storm on the Sea of Galilee, and they calmed and obeyed. Their friend, Jesus, had fed over 5,000 people from a boy’s small lunch. They had witnessed him touch a blind man’s eyes, and he could see. They watched lepers go from being isolated and diseased to being fully restored. And now, this same Master was dead. What were they to think?
Grief had to be palpable.
Jesus was put into the tomb late on a Friday. Early Sunday morning, Mary Magdalene came with spices to treat Jesus’ dead body. But the stone had been rolled away. Jesus was alive!!! God had raised Jesus from the dead. Read the full account in John 20 and the other gospels if you would like. Just know the risen Jesus appeared to Mary, the disciples, Thomas (his disciple who had to touch his scars and see Jesus before he believed), as well as over 500 people. They saw him in town, walking, eating fish with the disciples on the beach and more.
Not only is this fact told in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, but it is THE most documented event in human history. Historians have relayed this story for centuries…most notable is Josephus.
Friend, the resurrection of Jesus means Jesus conquered death!! No longer do we need to fear death. We know God is bigger and stronger and is victorious over death. But it also means that the God of the Universe sacrificed what was most precious to Him for you and me. Jesus laid down His very life so that you and I could gain a new life with God for eternity.
Our filthy rags were exchanged for the righteousness of Jesus!
After Jesus was resurrected and walked around in a new body (that still bore his scars from the cross), he appeared one last time and then flew up into heaven. He sits at God’s right hand – and makes intercession (or prays for you and me).
But here’s the rub. Just as the thief on the cross had to believe, so we have to believe and accept that Jesus is God’s Son. We have to acknowledge that He died in our place because each of us are sinners. And we can’t just believe with head knowledge. The Bible is clear that even the “demons in hell believe and shudder.” They know Jesus is God’s Son. We have to ask Him to come into our lives/heart. We have to want His Spirit to come and take control of us and our lives. When we do, the Holy Spirit (or the Spirit of Jesus) comes to reside inside of us.
That Spirit changes us. So that while we are on the earth, our goal is to become and be like Jesus. It’s truly a miracle that only God and Jesus can perform!
Now that you know the Easter or the Resurrection story, God gives you a choice.
Will you be like the thief on the cross who hardened his heart and mocked Jesus? Will you harden your heart and cast Jesus aside? If so, you will spend eternity in hell with Satan and his demons, being tortured in the lake of fire.
Or will you believe John 3:16 – that “God so loved the world that He gave His only Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish (die) but have everlasting life”. If you believe in Jesus, all you need to do is acknowledge you are a sinner and thank Jesus for dying in your place. Ask Him to come into your heart and life. In that moment, His Holy Spirit will fill you up!! Not only will you live in heaven with God and Jesus when you die, but you will experience the abundant life while on earth.
Accepting God’s sacrificial gift of Jesus dying in your place and being raised to new life is called salvation. I close with a quote that explains the miracle of Jesus coming to live inside of you.
That, my friends, is the Easter story in a nutshell.
His body was removed from the cross; Joseph from Arimathea, who was a secret disciple, helped take his body down. Joseph was a wealthy man and had asked that Jesus be buried in his unused tomb.
His followers, disciples and probably even his mother, Mary, had to be distraught, confused, and perplexed. The man they had seen make a blind man sea or turn water into wine was now dead and buried. It didn’t make sense. Was it for nothing?
That was on a Friday evening (what we celebrate now as Good Friday – and it’s called “Good” because Jesus saved us from hell). Three days later Mary Magdalene came early in the morning to the tomb. A huge boulder had been rolled in front to seal the tomb. When she arrived,
God raised Jesus from the dead!!! Jesus had been resurrected! He was dead, but now He was alive!!
He appeared to Mary first. And then the disciples. And then over 500 people saw Him.
The fact that He came back to life and walked, talked and ate is THE most recorded event in human history. It’s not just documented in God’s Word, the Bible. But it is recorded by numerous historians, Josephus being the most notable.
Easter celebrates the Risen Savior!! And that He paid our debt on the cross of Calvary.
When you believe He is God’s Son who was sent to pay your punishment and ask Him to be your Savior, the Spirit of Jesus—the Holy Spirit comes in to your heart and life. The Holy Spirit actually resides within you!! How is that possible? Because it’s a miracle – it’s from God!!
When that happens, your sins are washed away. You are made new. Oh, it doesn’t mean you want sin anymore. But it means your desire to sin is changed. Your desires become more like Jesus. Because He replaces our sin, our junk and our filthy rags with His purity, righteousness and holiness. When you ask Jesus to come and be your Savior, you are transformed. It’s nothing YOU have done.
It doesn’t happen because you are kind; it doesn’t happen because you go to church or try to do good deeds. It’s a miraculous process that only can be accomplished through God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit.
And once you believe and ask Jesus to come in and “save” you, not only are you changed on the inside, but once you die, you will live with God and Jesus in heaven for all eternity. Jesus said in _____, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” In other words, you don’t go to heaven by being good. The Bible tells us none of us can be good enough. Our righteous acts are as filthy rags***. You can’t get to heaven by going to church or serving others or trying to forgive. You sure can’t get there by worshiping a Pope or giving money to non-profits. There is ONE way – God established it. Jesus fulfilled it.
Easter Sunday we celebrate the most miraculous event in all of human history. God’s Son, Jesus, died in our place and He conquered death! He is the victor! Because of that, we know that one day when we die, our mortal bodies will decay, but our soul will ascend to heaven and be with God and Jesus for all eternity. This earth is not our home.
How I pray that each of you reading this will not just know and understand the true meaning of Easter, but you would want the gift of Jesus for yourself. He is what makes life worth living!
Laura's Lines 