Happy Easter!

Happy Easter!  I won't be long today.  I just wanted to really quickly share something our pastor preached on this morning.  Being as it's Easter, he preached on the crucifixion and resurrection, as I'm sure most of your pastors did.  But He took it in a little bit different direction, which I'd never really stopped to consider.  He talked about the brutality of the beating and the crucifixion and how it can make us feel sorry for Jesus.  And he made the statement do not for one second feel sorry for Jesus.  I thought that sounded harsh considering He's the savior of the world.  But then he followed it up with John 10:14-15, 18 "I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me - (15) just as the Father knows me and I know the Father - and I lay down my life for the sheep.  (18) No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord.  I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again.  This command I received from my Father".  In hearing that, the 'don't feel sorry' statement didn't seem so harsh.  Jesus wasn't murdered on the cross.  He chose the cross for us - He took it joyfully so we could be saved from our sins.  He has taken the penalty for every sin we've ever committed and every sin we will ever commit.  That's how deep His love is for us.  That He willingly chose His death for me.  As Paul says in Romans 5:8 - "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us".  There's no greater love than that.  I've recently heard it called the 'Scandal of Grace'.  It's the most amazing part of our God, and yet the hardest part to comprehend.  As people, we constantly feel the need to work our way to Heaven.  But thankfully, that's not how God designed it.  We just simply need to believe and ask Jesus to be our savior.  It's as simple as that and yet as mind-blowing as that.  If you don't know the love of Jesus, I pray that you soon will.  And if you do, celebrate that we serve a living God who willingly gave His life for you and for me.  It's that personal.

 

Below is me and Andy's annual Easter pic at my parents house.  My best friend suggested I add it to my Easter post :).  Until next time...