The Easter season for Believers, is a time of reflection and rejoicing. When we think of the reason we celebrate, it brings a sense of awe and gratitude. As we look at today’s Bible Journaling Scripture, the disciples had just witnessed the most horrific event in their lives. Their Lord had just been falsely accused, arrested, sentenced to death, and crucified right before their eyes. His body was buried in a tomb, and they were hiding from the religious leaders who were determined to arrest them also. On the first day of the week, the women went to the tomb to put spices on Jesus’ body. When they got there, the tomb was opened, and they were met by an angel who told them, “He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee, Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.” (Luke 24:6-7 KJV)
Can you imagine the anxiety those women felt? When they told the disciples, it must have seemed too much for the disciples to comprehend. But then they remember that Jesus had told them beforehand that this would happen. How would you have felt hearing this? I’m not sure I’d have been quick to believe it. I guess I’m a little like Thomas… “Show me.” I think they were like that also until they saw Jesus face to face. Then they were ecstatic and began telling everyone they could!
There is a reason we celebrate Jesus’ death and resurrection. Because of our sin, which separates us from God, God required a perfect sacrifice to cover our sins. God and sin cannot exist together and because we are not perfect and born with a sinful nature, God had to send His Son, Jesus, the perfect, sinless, Lamb to take the punishment for our sins. Jesus took our place upon the Cross and died the most horrific death imaginable to save us! He rose again on the third day, giving us hope of eternal life.
The Bible tells us that during the three days His body was in the tomb, Jesus went to Hades, and took back the keys to Hades, thus winning the battle over Satan, sin, death, and the grave. “and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades.” (Revelation 1:18 NASB 1995) As Born-Again Believers, we celebrate because we do not need to be afraid of death or the grave, and we can rejoice because He has taken the punishment for our sins. I am reminded of an old chorus we used to sing in church, “I owed a debt I could not pay; He paid a debt He did not owe. I needed Someone to wash my sins away. And now I sing a brand-new song, Amazing Grace. Christ Jesus paid the debt that I could never pay.” John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (KJV)
There is nothing we need do but to accept Him into our hearts as our Lord and Savior. When we ask Jesus to come live inside of us, He will. When we allow Him to sit on the throne of our hearts and take control over every aspect of our lives, He brings peace, joy, love, and hope. I would say that is a reason to celebrate!
If you have never asked Jesus to save you from your sins, today is a good day to ask Him. “for He says, ‘At the acceptable time I listened to you, And on the day of salvation I helped you.’ Behold, now is ‘the acceptable time,’ behold, now is ‘the day of salvation’” (2 Corinthians 6:2 NASB 1995) All you need to do is pray, ask Jesus to forgive you of your sins, tell Him you believe He died for your sins and rose again. Ask Him to come into your heart, take over your life, and promise to live for Him for the rest of your life. He hears the prayer of a repentant sinner and will save you and live inside of you. He will walk with you through every situation in which you find yourself, helping you to live for Him. It will be the best decision you will ever make. You will find that celebrating Easter will become very real for you, and you will be rejoicing just like the disciples.
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