"And the angel answered and said to the women, "Do not be afraid; for I know that you are looking for Jesus who has been crucified. "He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said. Come, see the place where He was lying."

Matt 28:5-6

Here we are again at the greatest celebration of all creation. It is the celebration of eternal life. This weekend is not about bunnies and eggs and all that the world makes it to be. No it is about the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. It is about the conquering of sin and death. It is about eternal life to all who believe in His name. It is about freedom for us from the consequences of our sins.

Imagine being one of the Mary's and seeing the very Christ crucified in front of your very eyes. Then imagine on the third day running to the tomb of Christ and finding it empty. Now imagine seeing the stone rolled away and having an angel appear before you and tell this great news live to your very ears. Take a minute and imagine hearing, "He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said." Wouldn't that just knock you off your feet!

All of sudden all the things He said during His three years of ministry here on earth would now make perfect sense or if you’re like me a simple knucklehead then maybe not. Now imagine for a moment the feeling of later having Him appear right in front of you to see the actual wounds where they pierced Him. What an amazingly awesome moment that would be. He has risen just as He said and Jesus said, "Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed (John 20:29)."

We who love the Lord Jesus and have asked Him into our hearts celebrate the resurrection of the Son of God this weekend. It is a time to remember His death and what He went through on our behalf. We call today Good Friday the day that represents His death. Of course the math doesn't add up for three days and three nights but who's getting technical here anyway. The death of Christ is the full agonizing, God forsaken Son taking on the penalty of sin in full.

For us to get to the full celebration He had to take on the full wrath of the Father for our sins. If you think about that for a moment you may be taken back at the picture of being there to see it live. I don't think I could have watched it live right in front of me and am thankful I don't have too. Just knowing what He went through to die for you and I is enough for me. We are the blessed ones who did not see and believe. It is always good to be reminded of the victory won on the cross that day.

Has the enemy ever come and reminded you of your past sins that put Jesus through the agony and suffering on the cross? Then the Lord Jesus comes right behind satan to remind you quietly, "I died for that." His death was to accomplish what we could not. His death satisfied the endless debt we owed for our sins against a perfect God. Jesus' resurrection was to prove His power as God. It was to prove that the power of sin and death were finished.

This weekend we believers who celebrate the resurrection of Jesus also will celebrate many souls coming to a saving faith in Christ. Many around the world will experience for the first time what it means to be saved. They will have a place in heaven reserved for them that will not fade away. Take time to spend with your family remembering what God the Son, Jesus Christ has done for us. It is always awesome to remember this event.

Isaiah 46:9-10 says, "Remember the former things long past, For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is no one like Me, Declaring the end from the beginning And from ancient times things which have not been done, Saying, 'My purpose will be established, And I will accomplish all My good pleasure'." It was for His good pleasure and the joy set before Him to endure that cross.

In Colossians 1:19-20 it says, “For it was the Father's good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven (NAS).” That is hard to comprehend that God would see it as His good pleasure to save a wretch like me. His death on that cross was for each and every one of us personally chosen by the Father.

He had me and He had you in mind when He said, "It is finished!" Praise Him this weekend and pray for those who are going to hear the Good News of eternal life in Christ. Have an awesome weekend in His wonderful grace that came from the cross, to the tomb into our hearts.

In His Grace,
Adam