WHAT DOES EASTER MEAN TO YOU?

How different Good Friday and Easter look from the time it took place and now. Jesus’ crucifixion took place around 30CE and 33CE which will be approximately 1993 years ago this year.

Maybe it would help us understand how Jesus suffered and the depth of His love for us sinners. Everyone needs to reflect on it so it will help us to realize the Passion of Jesus for us. I know that some are going to say it is too graphic. It is and people need to come to a knowledge of the love of God has for humans.

Because of the Roman Empire’s method of crucifixion, it has been considered the most horrifying death ever put on mankind. Everyone needs to look at what Jesus Christ went through for us sinners. We need to realize that He did so out of His love for you and me. It was God’s gift to us so we would not suffer eternal death and enjoy eternal life with Jesus in His new Kingdom. A place of no sorrow, pain, or death.

Jesus spent the night before Good Friday in prison being mistreated by the guards. Jesus endured tremendous physical suffering for you and me and won our salvation from eternal death. Before He was put on the cross, Jesus was whipped and beaten along with mockery, ridicule, and false accusations.

Jesus was tied to a pillar and flogged with a special whip that had small iron balls a few inches from the end of each of each leather thong. Sometimes, sharp sheep bones would be tied to the ends of the whip. The metal weights caused serious bruising, or contusions. The leather thongs would cut into the skin. The sheep bones would deepen the lacerations. After a few lashes, the depths of the cuts would reach the muscle tissue.  Each stroke of the whip would tear into Jesus’ body as parts of His flesh was torn from Him.

He now was shedding His precious blood for You and Me.

The whipping Jesus endured was with what is  called a “scourging whip,” so severe that it tore the flesh from His body. His entire body was bruised. The crown of thorns cut deeply into His scalp.  He was made to carry the cross to the site of His crucifixion. There came a point where his physical strength could not carry the cross. A man named Simon was ordered to carry the cross for Him. Jesus suffered around three hours after His hands and feet were nailed to the cross.

Part of Jesus sufferings was watching His closest friends abandoned Him. I can imagine how He feels today when people turn away from Him after what He went through for us.

I believe that Matthew 27:47 is telling  us how Jesus felt and how we will feel if we depart from this life without having Jesus as our advocate. Since God is Holy and hates sin and His Son took the sins of every human being upon Himself at the cross, God’s displeasure came to light.

I believe it would help to understand the meaning of Easter if we understood the depths of Jesus’ suffering and then realize how much He loves us. The Passion of our Lord and Savior is just one of many devotions He has for each person. The question is “how much love do we have for Him,” after all He went through for us.

It is through and by His death, that mankind can be reconciled to God.  The word “Gospel” refers to the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. This is the true meaning of Easter.

I want to make a point that I did not invent. Like all choices we must make in life, this one is most important.  Everyone and I mean everyone, needs to realize that the following scripture was made by Jesus. John 14:6 KJV, “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. The Apostle Peter echoed these words when he said, “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved,” Acts 4:12, KJV. Paul concurred, “There is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus found in 1 Timothy 2:5 KJV.

The Easter story doesn’t end at the CROSS. Jesus came back from the dead showing that He was and is the one who He claimed to be as stated in Romans 1:4 KJV; and declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the Spirit of Holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.

Because Jesus lives, everyone who chooses can have a personal relationship through a spiritual born again experience with Jesus, the living God. Someday, everyone will meet Him. Have you made the right choice regarding your relationship with Him? Do you belong to Jesus?

Happy Easter. Jesus really loves you and so do I.