Walk Of Life – Day 09, April 2023 – Thoughts For Easter

Easter Sunday – “HE is Risen!!”

It so happened that a person asked me what happened on the day of Easter? That person understood that Good Friday is the day Lord Jesus died, but why there is a celebration on Easter was beyond her understanding. It was a privilege God gave me to explain her that on the third day Lord Jesus who was crucified rose from the dead and therefore was victorious over death. He then showed himself to men and gave convincing proofs that He is risen and alive. After forty days of preaching about the Kingdom of God, even on one occasion to over five hundred people, He was taken up before the very eyes of the disciples till a cloud hid him from their sight. When the men were still looking up intently, two men dressed in white spoke to them and said that, “This same Jesus who have been taken from you into heaven will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.” Acts 1:11

The events of Easter is shortly summarized in Matthew 28.  

Message of Easter: Fear Not

• In three years of his ministry Lord Jesus did so many miracles that only God could perform. The lame walked, blind could see, diseases like leprosy were healed, demon possessed were cured and the dead were raised to life. In the peak of his ministry, the time came for him to lay down his life as a sacrificial lamb in obedience to the will of the Father.
• When the disciples saw their leader been flogged, beaten, mocked and crucified, all the disciples were in great pain and were terrified as they anticipated that they will be next. They all got scattered during his arrest but later came together and hid from everyone.
• It is in this situation the first message of Easter was delivered by the angel to Mary Magdalene who went early morning to the tomb, ““Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. HE is not here, he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.” verse 5-7

 Purpose of Easter – Worship

•  The resurrection of Christ is a confirmation of prophesy made in Isaiah 9:6, 7. Now many things what he said made to sense to the disciples like what he said in Matthew 16:21, 17:22, 20:17 -19. Now it became very clear that HE is the Messiah. So when suddenly Jesus met them, “Greetings,”he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. verse 9

Power of Easter – Victory

• When God raised Christ from the dead, He fulfilled the prophesy made by Isaiah in 25:8 where it is said, ‘He will swallow up death forever’. When Israelite looked up the bronze snake made by prophet Moses as commanded by God, they were saved from the punishment they deserved, Numbers 21:4-9. So, it will be for all who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, for “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” verse 18

Proclamation of Easter – Go and Tell

• Before ascending to heaven, Lord Jesus gave his final instruction to his disciples. “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” verse 19,20

God’s plan for salvation is not just for Christians or Jews but for all mankind. He died instead of us so that all who call on him with true repentance will not perish but will have eternal life. Just as He is risen, “so it will be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.” 1 Corinthians 15: 42-45

He has promised to come again to take us to that eternal home. Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him. So it is to be. Amen. Revelation 1:7