The Word of the Lord

The Word of the Lord

"An Easter Message" by Barbara Maddox

The ripping of material suddenly occurred in the Temple there in Jerusalem. A strange sound but even a stranger sight if you were to have seen it for it tore from top to bottom. Sounds got stronger for there was a mighty earthquake and huge rocks begin to split.As if this was not enough to make your skin feel goose bumps if you looked closely graves were splitting open and many bodies were coming forth. Later to even walk through Jerusalem.

All the trappings for a Hollywood movie thriller. But these are not figments of some science fiction writer but TRUTH. Its part of the EASTER story. EASTER! The time of the year when many go to church, of course, they have that one other time which is Christmas.

Just a very brief look at the most important day in Christian history. Lets start in John, chapters 13 through 17. You will have to read for yourself due to shortness of space. We do see there the final teachings Jesus gave to His disciples. He washes the disciples feet to teach them the greatest of all is the one who serves others. He announces He will be betrayed, He answers some of their questions, reveals the Holy Spirit will come and some of the works the Holy Spirit will do. He predicts again His death and resurrection. Then He prays for Himself, the disciples and you must read John 17:20, you will see where Jesus prayed for you and me.

In John chapters 18 through 21 you will find the rest of the story as Paul Harvey says. In Gethsemane when He needed the closeness of Peter, James and John and certainly their prayers, they slept. Are you sleeping while Jesus needs you to touch others for Him? He is taken prisoner by the Roman guards after being betrayed with a kiss from Judas. We read that even while they were arresting Him, His power was so great that they fell backward to the ground. Luke tells us in 22:50-51, that one of Jesus’ disciples cut off the right ear of a man and Jesus touched the ear and healed it. WHAT MANNER OF MAN IS THIS they have come for. Where was the fear that should have gripped their heart to even be witnessing such actions. Yet they continued on in their mad desire to take Him and put Him to death. Many hurry past Him today without worrying what is their final destination.

The greatest travesty of justice that has ever been known to mankind then begins to take place. Jesus is brought before the Jewish leaders, who should have known better and who He was, yet they judged Him guilty of blasphemy and condemned Him to death. He is brought to Pilate who was the Roman governor and again condemned. Pilate’s wife even warned Pilate not to have anything to do with Jesus because she had a troubling dream about Him. He is next sent to Herod because he was over the Galilean district. Herod sent Him back to Pilate aggravated because Jesus would not answer his questions.

I want to enumerate some of the experiences Christ suffered. None for any of His sins, but for mine and your sins. He was betrayed by a close friend, falsely accused, tried in mock trials, a murderer set free in His place, a crown of thorns jammed into His scalp and then beaten about the head, spit on, clothed in a garment and bowed before in mock honor, slapped with open hands, beaten with a cat of nine tails so badly that the flesh was laid open and this was only the warm up. It was now time for the big punishment, He was nailed to a cross. Which, if any of these brutalities, much less all would you take for someone, no, for everyone, good and bad. Then as you are dying cry out to God to forgive those who did such to you. JESUS DID FOR YOU AND FOR Me. The end is not here, nor the grave, but three days later on Easter Sunday when He arose from the dead and took the keys of death and hell forever from Satan that you and I might have eternal life. EASTER, THE GREATEST CELEBRATION THAT CAN BE CELEBRATED BY MAN.

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