Easter's Best

It is Easter and clothes are flying off the racks. 

Countless people are shining shoes they wear only on special occasions, and little boys are being tortured with ties, hats, and Oxford sweaters in 85 degree weather. 

Girls are giggling over their Easter baskets. Moms are fretting over the Sunday ham that might begin to burn if the preacher goes on too long. Dads are wondering why on a perfect spring day they got up so early and it wasn’t for a round of golf?

Somehow we have lost what this season is. 

This is our true Thanksgiving. 

A time when we remember what Jesus did. A time to remember He chose to lay down His life. 

He laid it down in the Garden when He prayed for God to take the cup from Him. When Jesus said “Nevertheless”, what He meant was I will die for ________. (Your name goes here) 

He laid it down again when instead of calling angles to rescue Him from the cross, He took the punishment anyway. He laid down His life when He said “It is Finished”. 

Thank God He did not stop there. 

He laid down His Life, but He had the power to take it up again. Rising from the dead, the redemption of Man was complete. He made a way for man to die a spiritual death once and become alive in Him forever. 

This man was fully man, or the sacrifice He made would have been in vain, AND He was fully God. God’s one and only Son: the spotless lamb. 

This weekend does give us a chance to make new family memories, and to watch and delight in our children. 

Yet, if we do not focus on what Christ did, what is the point? 

Take a moment with your family, away from the church, and talk about the moment when you realized it should have been you on that cross. 

Take communion together. Pray with one another.

Share with your loved ones the message of the gospel and see the power of the Passion Story change their hearts and lives. 

Live Easter like you really believe what you say you believe.

The clothes are nice. The dinner is great. The reason for this weekend is Jesus and His ultimate sacrifice for you and I. He came to fulfill the goal of His father: the redemption of man. 

Do not lose sight of that. God gave His best- now give your's.