Tag: Happy Easter

Something to Think about

Every year we celebrate a day that I will say was one of the most important days in the history of the whole entire world. You see three days ago He was tortured, humiliated, and put to death over false acquisitions. We come together we celebrate with little eggs talk about bunnies, baby chicks and buckets full of candy (Yes we have kids and do it to). Do you know what Easter actually is a celebration of? This is the Day that Jesus, like He said: “Destroy this temple and I will build it again in three days.” ^{John 2:19 ESV}, would come back from the tomb as proof of who He was. There are a lot who have heard that parable; I am going to focus on one little point that does not get mentioned a lot. When the disciples found out that He was not in the tomb, Mary Magdalene said: “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they put him.” ^{John 20:2 ESV} Her first reaction was not, “oh wow Jesus has risen from the dead” it was someone stole His body. She was with Jesus all the time and did not see or realize what was in front of her and the disciples were not much better.

Standing in Front of Them

Mary went to the disciples and told them that someone stole the body, by their reaction they had a normal Human response. They were angry they ran as fast as they could irritated that someone would do such a thing: So Peter and the other follower started going to the tomb. They were both running, but the other follower ran faster than Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent down and looked in. He saw the pieces of linen cloth lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter finally reached the tomb and went in. He saw the pieces of linen lying there. He also saw the cloth that had been around Jesus’ head. It was folded up and laid in a different place from the pieces of linen. Then the other follower went in—the one who had reached the tomb first. He saw what had happened and believed. (These followers did not yet understand from the Scriptures that Jesus must rise from death.) ^{John 20:3-9 ESV} It says they believed not that Jesus had rose from the dead but that someone had removed Jesus’s body from the tomb. Later Jesus did appear to the disciples Suddenly, Jesus was standing there among them. He said, “Peace be with you!” As soon as he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. ^{John 20:19-20 ESV} There was one that was not there when Jesus appeared and showed them that He was alive and well. His disbelief was so strong he even said until I can actually put my finger through the nail holes and thrust my hand into His side where Jesus had been cut open on the cross, without this there is no way he would ever believe. This disciple was: Thomas (called Didymus) was one of the twelve, but he was not with the other followers when Jesus came. They told him, “We saw the Lord.” Thomas said, “That’s hard to believe. I will have to see the nail holes in his hands, put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side. Only then will I believe it.” A week later the followers were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. The doors were locked, but Jesus came and stood among them. He said, “Peace be with you!” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here. Look at my hands. Put your hand here in my side. Stop doubting and believe.” Thomas said to Jesus, “My Lord and my God!” ^{John 20:24-27 ESV}

Standing in Front of You

We are the same way as the disciples, we know, there is enough recorded proof, and no matter how it is explained away Jesus lived and there is proof. So every year we go through the motions, watch the Easter movies about the bunny, get a big basket full of candy, we run around and celebrate the hidden eggs. But what are we celebrating? I do not think it is bad to celebrate Easter and the opportunity to bring your family together, family is so important. Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one’s youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate. ^{Psalm 127:3-5 ESV} Is what I am trying to say is that it is awesome to get our families together when ever we can but let’s talk about what this day represents. We have so much that God has provided for us to know Him better than any other generation that has ever lived. We have access to bible study tools like e-Sword* for desktops or the Blue Letter Bible* for online and phone. We have Bibles online* that will read out load to you and tools to look up Subjects* that you want to learn more about and a cross reference tool* as well. Jesus is trying to reach out more than any other time, His word has been translated into so many different languages. He can now touch you no matter where we are in this world. He is responsible for giving people the knowledge to create these tools that we have been given to get to know Him better. He is reaching out to us: Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. ^{Revelation 3:20 ESV} “When you continue to embrace all that I teach, you prove that you are my true followers. For if you embrace the truth, it will release more freedom into your lives.” ^{John 8:31-32 TPT}

Jesus Prayed for You

“Father, the time has come. Give glory to your Son so that the Son can give glory to you. You gave the Son power over all people so that he could give eternal life to all those you have given to him. And this is eternal life: that people can know you, the only true God, and that they can know Jesus Christ, the one you sent. I finished the work you gave me to do. I brought you glory on earth. And now, Father, give me glory with you. Give me the glory I had with you before the world was made.

“You gave me some people from the world. I have shown them what you are like. They belonged to you, and you gave them to me. They have obeyed your teaching. Now they know that everything I have came from you. I told them the words you gave me, and they accepted them. They realized the fact that I came from you and believed that you sent me. I pray for them now. I am not praying for the people in the world. But I am praying for these people you gave me, because they are yours. All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And my glory is seen in them.

“Now I am coming to you. I will not stay in the world, but these followers of mine are still in the world. Holy Father, keep them safe by the power of your name—the name you gave me. Then they will be one, just as you and I are one. While I was with them, I kept them safe by the power of your name—the name you gave me. I protected them. And only one of them was lost—the one who was sure to be lost. This was to show the truth of what the Scriptures said would happen.

“I am coming to you now. But I pray these things while I am still in the world. I say all this so that these followers can have the true happiness that I have. I want them to be completely happy. I have given them your teaching. And the world has hated them, because they don’t belong to the world, just as I don’t belong to the world.

“I am not asking you to take them out of the world. But I am asking that you keep them safe from the Evil One. They don’t belong to the world, just as I don’t belong to the world. Make them ready for your service through your truth. Your teaching is truth. I have sent them into the world, just as you sent me into the world. I am making myself completely ready to serve you. I do this for them, so that they also might be fully qualified for your service.

“I pray not only for these followers but also for those who will believe in me because of their teaching. Father, I pray that all who believe in me can be one. You are in me and I am in you. I pray that they can also be one in us. Then the world will believe that you sent me.  I have given them the glory that you gave me. I gave them this glory so that they can be one, just as you and I are one. I will be in them, and you will be in me. So they will be completely one. Then the world will know that you sent me and that you loved them just as you loved me.

“Father, I want these people you have given me to be with me in every place I am. I want them to see my glory—the glory you gave me because you loved me before the world was made. Father, you are the one who always does what is right. The world does not know you, but I know you, and these followers of mine know that you sent me. I showed them what you are like, and I will show them again. Then they will have the same love that you have for me, and I will live in them.” ^{John 17:1-26 ESV}

Our Prayer

Dear Heavenly Father, thank you; it is unimaginable to think that all you have done for us and continue to do for us. You are waiting for us to accept You into our lives even though we don’t answer the door after You have knocked over and over again. Sometimes You are beating on the door hard enough that it seems like it would burst open shattering into pieces. In Jesus Name Amen.

Getting to Know Him

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*I am not a representative of these tools, I am not speaking for them in no other way than they are awesome tools that help me learn more about Jesus Christ.

Citation:

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

The Passion Translation®. Copyright © 2017 by BroadStreet Publishing® Group, LLC.
Used by permission. All rights reserved. thePassionTranslation.com

“Sword: Free Bible Study for the PC., e-sword.net/.

Editor: Stephen Smith. Publication date: Apr 10, 2020. Publisher: OpenBible.info.