When all the distractions are removed…the cute little Easter bunnies, the flowery pastel colored bonnets, the baskets, the eggs and candy…many folks would not know what to do with Easter. There’d just be no reason to recognize it at all.
We shouldn’t be surprised. When Jesus, God’s Messiah, is marginalized or removed from the public square, special memorials such as Christmas and Easter will find something to replace Him; heck, anything will do…just not HIM.
Fortunately, the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ doesn’t just close up shop and go home; after all, it’s God’s Word and it will endure regardless of the world’s attempt to stamp it out. It’s not the true Christians that suffer from this co-opting of the celebration; it’s the ones who might really benefit from hearing or being reminded of the true significance of such memorials.
Going straight to the bottom line, a good part of humanity believes there is a place called heaven and they desire to go their upon their departure from this life. The problem is, there are lots of different opinions on just how to get there, the most prevalent being expressed with these words, “I’m a good person”. Inherent in those words is an expectation of reward, because life teaches us if we do a good job there’s a reward in it for us. We expect it and it’s our due. But, how do we know for sure, beyond any doubt, that our view of a “good person” is really good enough. It sounds like a whole lot of a wishin’ and a hope’n to me.
You would think that the God whom created us would sure like us to know the Truth…you know…the part about going to heaven and living in paradise forever. GOOD NEWS…He has:
“Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God. Anyone who does not believe God has made Him out to be a liar, because he has not believed the testimony God has given about His Son. And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.”
Selected verses are taken from the Holy Bible, 1 John, Chapter 5.
May each of you reading this be blessed by the hearing of God’s Word.
All works are by Gustave Dore (1832-1883)
