How do I share a few thoughts about Easter without going on and on? There is so much one could say regarding the various aspects of this great Christian celebration. Its topic is so grand and its substance so bountiful, that to do it justice is a difficult task for one such as I. How does one who has been familiar with sin all of his life, write about the One who knew not sin but became sin for me? I am convinced that this is only made possible through the promised work of the Helper. I must rely on His desire that we know Him and that we be used to help others to know Him also.
As it is difficult to discuss the birth of our Lord Jesus without mentioning His death, burial and resurrection, so also is it difficult to discuss His death, burial and resurrection without mentioning His birth. Perhaps it is not as universally accepted amongst all professing believers as we might hope, but the scripture solidly ties these matters together. No amount of false teaching, or wrongly dividing the word of truth can sever them in their connection to one another. Jesus was born to die. The gospel writers proclaimed that He "did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many". The baby Jesus, who had one day laid in a manger in Bethlehem, had come to one day hang on a cross on Golgotha.
The true Easter story does not suggest that Jesus was simply a very good man, perhaps even the best of all men, who was mistreated and eventually murdered by those acting wickedly. The true Easter story unashamedly proclaims that Jesus was born to die. That it was the Father's will to crush Him. That it was the Father's will for Him to partake of "this cup". In John 18:11 we read Jesus' words to Peter where He said, "Put the sword into the sheath; the cup which the Father has given Me, shall I not drink it?" So make no mistake and do not be lead astray from this important truth; it was the sovereign plan of the Godhead that God the Son would partake of flesh and blood, dwell amongst men, and "give His life", reconciling us to God.
Although I know that He was born to die, I have often wondered at what point in His earthly life He become aware of what lay before Him. At what point in His humanity did He comprehend that He would suffer the physical punishment inflicted upon Him and the cruelty of crucifixion. At what point did He know that He would come face to face with the horrific consequence of sin, suffering, if even for a moment, something He knew not, separation from His Father. Experiencing that which would cause Him to cry out with a loud voice, "MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME?" as He was taking upon Himself the sins of the world. I suppose it is not important to know when He became aware of the things that lay before Him as He grew up. Just knowing that He accomplished all that He came to do is sufficient for us.
The word reveals that Jesus grew up in the home of a carpenter. I can only imagine that early in His life He saw His earthly father, with strong loving hands, hands that had held Him, use the hammer and nail. Perhaps He would watch Joseph as he would build or repair something with these tools of his trade. Like most boys, not to suggest that He was simply a boy like any other, I can only imagine that He desired to use the hammer and nail as His father did. To build something. To fix something. We know that in time, like Joseph, He too would be called a carpenter, becoming familiar with the hammer and nail. At some point in His life, I expect that He saw the hammer and nail used for a different purpose and in a different manner. Surely He became aware, and perhaps witnessed the crucifixion of criminals by the Roman soldiers, knowing that an unloving hand had wielded the hammer in those cases as men were nailed to their crosses.
The word reveals that Jesus grew up in the home of a carpenter. I can only imagine that early in His life He saw His earthly father, with strong loving hands, hands that had held Him, use the hammer and nail. Perhaps He would watch Joseph as he would build or repair something with these tools of his trade. Like most boys, not to suggest that He was simply a boy like any other, I can only imagine that He desired to use the hammer and nail as His father did. To build something. To fix something. We know that in time, like Joseph, He too would be called a carpenter, becoming familiar with the hammer and nail. At some point in His life, I expect that He saw the hammer and nail used for a different purpose and in a different manner. Surely He became aware, and perhaps witnessed the crucifixion of criminals by the Roman soldiers, knowing that an unloving hand had wielded the hammer in those cases as men were nailed to their crosses.
In time, "He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross", aware that His heavenly Father would also use the hammer and nail. No, He would not hold the nails or swing the hammer, but He would use the very men His Son would die for to nail Him to timbers He had created. "The certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us" would be nailed there also. This hammer and these nails would not be used to build or repair a cabinet or a boat, a chair or perhaps a house of this world. But as only God could cause it to happen, they would be used to build His Church and repair the sin-affected souls of men. We know the crucifixion story. It was a gruesome sight to be sure. It was meant to be a severe punishment for the vial criminal. But as sure as His crucifixion was, so also was His resurrection.
Again, make no mistake, His life was not taken from Him, He gave it freely. The importance of this is crucial. Jesus spoke of the necessity of this truth when John recorded Him saying in John 10: 17 -18, "For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down my life so that I may take it again. No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on my own initiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from My Father". This "authority" and this truth that His life was given and not taken made His resurrection and the hope of our own possible. The Apostle Paul, summing up our faith and hope when speaking to the Council said, "Brethren, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees; I am on trial for the hope and resurrection of the dead!" Writing to the Romans and speaking of Jesus, Paul said He "was declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead, according to the Spirit of holiness, Jesus Christ our Lord."
Although there are many people who have been used by God in special ways throughout history, a very unique man comes to mind in this resurrection story. He is Joseph of Arimathea, described as a "prominent member of the Jewish council, who himself was waiting for the kingdom of God". The scriptures tell us that Joseph was the man who took the body of Jesus from the cross to the tomb. I have it in my mind that Joseph lovingly washed the mistreated body of our Lord before he carefully wrapped Jesus' body in His grave cloths. He placed the face cloth over the loving eyes that had gazed down at His mother and the others who had gathered near His cross, covering the mouth that had once spoken only the things of His Father. Joseph, while surely handling His body carefully, must have experienced the reality of His death like no other. The cloths that Jesus was wrapped in and the cloth that covered His face would not be needed for their intended use, but they would be used by God as a sign of His resurrection power.
Each Gospel writer tells us of the risen Lord, although each do so in their own way. Mathew says that when Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to look at the grave, an angel spoke to them saying, "Do not be afraid; for I know that you are looking for Jesus who has been crucified. He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said. Come, see the place where He was lying". Mark's Gospel tells us "a young man sitting at the right, wearing a white robe" said to the women that had come to the tomb, "Do not be amazed; you are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who has been crucified. He is risen; He is not here; behold, here is the place where they laid Him." And Luke's account says that when the women entered the tomb, "they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus" and that "two men suddenly stood near them in dazzling clothing; and as the women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, 'Why do you seek the living One among the dead? He is not here, but He has risen." And the Apostle John tells us that when he arrived at the tomb "he saw the linen wrappings lying there" and that Simon Peter entered the tomb and also "saw the linen wrappings lying there, and the face-cloth which had been on His head, not lying with the linen wrappings, but rolled up in a place by itself".
The message was simple yet profound. He was not there. He had risen. The grave clothes were there but Jesus was alive and was no longer amongst the dead. Following His birth, joy was had when He was found "wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger". Following His death, joy would come because He was not found! Only His grave cloths were found within the tomb! Praise the Lord. Jesus would go on to make several appearances to His disciples before ascending to be seated at the right hand of His Father. It is one of those appearances that I wish to close with.
You may recall the story. Peter had proclaimed to the others, "I am going fishing" and they had responded by saying, "We will also come with you". They fished through the night but had caught nothing. Standing on the shore and unrecognized by the disciples, Jesus said, "Children, you do not have any fish, do you?" They had rightly responded to Him by telling Him "No". He then instructed them on where to cast their net and after doing as He said, they caught a large number of fish and John recognized the Lord Jesus. The disciples then returned to the shore and found Jesus there.
But they also found something we should stop and consider, if only for a few moments. There was "a charcoal fire already laid" and fish and bread placed upon it. Jesus told them to bring some of the fish they had caught and implored them, "Come and have breakfast". He then served them the fish and bread. I find this quite amazing. Only days before, all of His disciples had fallen away as He had said they would. He had suffered terribly at the hands of the Roman soldiers, mocked and ridiculed by the people and then crucified, forsaken by His Father as He bore the sins of the world. He had met their greatest need and now He was meeting their basic needs. He desires to do the same for you and I. To meet our greatest need, forgiveness of sin, and continue to meet our basic needs each day. He wishes to keep providing for and equipping us. Yes, He has given eternal life to all who confess that Jesus is the Son of God. But He wants to be our portion, our source for daily living.
If you recall the story, it was after this breakfast that Jesus told Peter to "tend My lambs", to "shepherd My sheep" and to "Tend my sheep". I suppose if we quiet our hearts and lives, and listen carefully, we may hear Him saying, "Come and have breakfast". How will we respond to His invitation? Many have been skipping this breakfast with Jesus for too long and have grown weary and weak in His service. I find that this must be, at least in part, a cause for our struggle to tend His sheep as we should? We must "come and have breakfast" with Jesus.
Father, we acknowledge and thank You for these undying truths that You have given. "Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures". "He was buried" and "He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures". Thank You for those great words of hope spoken long ago. "He is not here." "He has risen." Thank You that You "raised Him up on the third day and granted that He become visible". You inspired the great apostle to write "If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied" But our hope in Christ is indeed beyond this life, because He has been raised from the dead. No, we are not to be pitied. We should be, more than all men, rejoicing in the hope we have found in the risen Savior. As sure as His birth was His death and as sure as His death was His resurrection. And as sure as His resurrection will be His return for His Church. Father, we thank You for these truths. Amen.
The message was simple yet profound. He was not there. He had risen. The grave clothes were there but Jesus was alive and was no longer amongst the dead. Following His birth, joy was had when He was found "wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger". Following His death, joy would come because He was not found! Only His grave cloths were found within the tomb! Praise the Lord. Jesus would go on to make several appearances to His disciples before ascending to be seated at the right hand of His Father. It is one of those appearances that I wish to close with.
You may recall the story. Peter had proclaimed to the others, "I am going fishing" and they had responded by saying, "We will also come with you". They fished through the night but had caught nothing. Standing on the shore and unrecognized by the disciples, Jesus said, "Children, you do not have any fish, do you?" They had rightly responded to Him by telling Him "No". He then instructed them on where to cast their net and after doing as He said, they caught a large number of fish and John recognized the Lord Jesus. The disciples then returned to the shore and found Jesus there.
But they also found something we should stop and consider, if only for a few moments. There was "a charcoal fire already laid" and fish and bread placed upon it. Jesus told them to bring some of the fish they had caught and implored them, "Come and have breakfast". He then served them the fish and bread. I find this quite amazing. Only days before, all of His disciples had fallen away as He had said they would. He had suffered terribly at the hands of the Roman soldiers, mocked and ridiculed by the people and then crucified, forsaken by His Father as He bore the sins of the world. He had met their greatest need and now He was meeting their basic needs. He desires to do the same for you and I. To meet our greatest need, forgiveness of sin, and continue to meet our basic needs each day. He wishes to keep providing for and equipping us. Yes, He has given eternal life to all who confess that Jesus is the Son of God. But He wants to be our portion, our source for daily living.
If you recall the story, it was after this breakfast that Jesus told Peter to "tend My lambs", to "shepherd My sheep" and to "Tend my sheep". I suppose if we quiet our hearts and lives, and listen carefully, we may hear Him saying, "Come and have breakfast". How will we respond to His invitation? Many have been skipping this breakfast with Jesus for too long and have grown weary and weak in His service. I find that this must be, at least in part, a cause for our struggle to tend His sheep as we should? We must "come and have breakfast" with Jesus.
Father, we acknowledge and thank You for these undying truths that You have given. "Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures". "He was buried" and "He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures". Thank You for those great words of hope spoken long ago. "He is not here." "He has risen." Thank You that You "raised Him up on the third day and granted that He become visible". You inspired the great apostle to write "If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied" But our hope in Christ is indeed beyond this life, because He has been raised from the dead. No, we are not to be pitied. We should be, more than all men, rejoicing in the hope we have found in the risen Savior. As sure as His birth was His death and as sure as His death was His resurrection. And as sure as His resurrection will be His return for His Church. Father, we thank You for these truths. Amen.
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