The true meaning of "Easter"

Good Friday is a sad day for millions of Christian all over the world as they remember the death of Jesus.  Churches have solemn services and sing sad songs.  
They focus on how much Jesus suffered.

But it should be a time of rejoicing, for if it were not for the death of Christ, we could not receive forgiveness for our sins and eternal life.  

Jesus took our place and bore our sin and iniquity so that we could be reconciled to the Father and have everlasting life. 

Easter for many this is purely traditional.  They will go to Church, worship the Lord, listen to an Easter message and go home and life will continue as normal.   Sadly for millions, it's just another holiday to rest and relax. 

It would be awesome indeed to see Christians get a revelation of the death and resurrection of Jesus and what He accomplished on the cross for us.  The truth is, it is not about the day or season, it's about a relationship made possible by what happened during the historic days of Easter, that can only come when He truly lives inside.  

Jesus death on the cross was so that we could have a more abundant life.  He paid the price for all our sin, shame, guilt, inhibitions, shyness, anger, bitterness, hatred, addictions, and every human imperfection you can think of.  His death fulfilled the requirements of the law, "the soul that sins will surely die"

2 Cor 519  "It was God [personally present] in Christ, reconciling and restoring the world to favor with Himself, not counting up and holding against [men] their trespasses [but cancelling them], and committing to us the message of reconciliation (of the restoration to favor)." (Amplified)  

Because of Christ's death and resurrection, we have favor with God.  This favor is undeserved, unmerited, unearned and has nothing to do with anything I do other than receive.   "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that WHOESOEVER believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." Jn 3:16. 

The death and resurrection of Jesus made it possible for Him to send "another comforter" the Holy Spirit that He promised would "be in you" and that we would receive "power" (God's ability, efficiency and might - Act 1:8 Amp.) and be witnesses to others about Him.  In other words, people would know that there is something different about us.  We are in the world but we don't live like the world.  We walk according to another law, the "law of the Spirit of life in Christ" (Rom 8:2)  that sets us free from "law of sin and death" that we were subject to before.   

Romans 8:4 (Amplified Bible) "So that the righteous and just requirement of the Law might be fully met in us who live and move not in the ways of the flesh but in the ways of the Spirit [our lives governed not by the standards and according to the dictates of the flesh, but controlled by the Holy Spirit]"

AN AMAZING THING HAPPENS ... 

But an amazing thing happens when we receive Him as Lord and Saviour and allow the Holy Spirit to dwell in us.   A transformation takes place inside that changes our desires, hopes and dreams.   Our focus changes from our will to His.  Sure we will never be perfect in this life, but our hearts cry is to be more like Him and to live according to His dictates via the Holy Spirit inside.   That's what God looks for and works with, our desire. 

And so begins a wonderful journey of discovery in Him.  Because He is our Shepherd, He looks after us, providing what we need when we need it..  Helping us to succeed when we should have failed.  Lifting us up when we fall and causing us to "triumph in all things"  

 2 Corinthians 2:14 (Amplified Bible) "But thanks be to God, Who in Christ always leads us in triumph [as trophies of Christ's victory] and through us spreads and makes evident the fragrance of the knowledge of God everywhere" 

We become trophies of Christ's victory and we spread the "fragrance of the knowledge of God everywhere"  And after He rose, He was seated at the right hand side of God (Rom. 8:34) making intercession for us.   

Colossians 3:1 "IF THEN you have been raised with Christ [to a new life, thus sharing His resurrection from the dead], aim at and seek the [rich, eternal treasures] that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Vs 2: And set your minds and keep them set on what is above (the higher things), not on the things that are on the earth.

That's the true message of Easter. He did it all for me so that I don't have to work for it.

 I am so happy that I gave my life to Christ at age 6 
and He has been my friend ever since. 

Thank you Jesus for the true message of Easter.

Listen to this short audio clip "God is so Good"

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God bless you richly.

Gil Howard-Browne

                            Originally posted on 4/7/2011, 11:44:00 AM

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