Easter

Easter is upon us, and I want to take you back through the importance of this day in the history and future of followers of Jesus Christ all across the world. I would like to start from the beginning of the life of Jesus Christ. Jesus was born in Bethlehem to a woman named Mary. Mary was called to be the mother of the Savior of the world. She was excited, scared, and she knew that this was the will of God and she was willing to listen to God and fulfill the role of mother to the greatest man to ever live. Jesus lived an incredible, perfect life and it was filled temptations, near death experiences, and miracles performed by both He and His disciples. Jesus was almost killed as an infant by King Herod, but God the Father was with Him and His plan for Mary, Joseph, and Jesus was for them to flee to Egypt. As Jesus grew closer to God the Father, He preached to the elders and teachers at the age of 12!!! A 12 year old who is preaching to the leaders of the church blows my mind, but Jesus is fully God and fully man, so He knows what He did was for the glory of God. He preached to thousands of people, he healed many who were sick, He raised Lazarus from the dead, He turned water into wine, He was tempted for 40 days by Satan who asked Him questions such as " If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread." Jesus had become hungry after 40 days of fasting, this was the opportunity Satan had to tempt Him. But Jesus answered Satan saying, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'" Jesus overcame every temptation and fiery dart thrown at Him by Satan { Satan was Lucifer, a high ranking angel in heaven, who was blessed with power, but he allowed his pride to get the better or I say the worse of him, and he tempted Eve first, and then she gave the fruit to Adam and they ate, and because of this there is sin in the world.} Having said that, we as followers of Jesus Christ can rejoice because of Easter, the death, resurrection, and glorification of Jesus Christ. Pontius Pilate asked the Jewish people whether they wanted Barabbus free or Jesus free and the crowd went with Barabbus. Barabbus was a murderer and Jesus was Lord of all. We were all apart of that decision because we are all fallen, and in our sinfulness we nailed Jesus Christ to the cross at Calvary. Now saying that the crowd did the wrong thing is not completely true. Without the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we would not be able to see eternal life. Now the death of Jesus Christ was not a pretty sight. He was laughed at, spit at, He had to carry His cross all the way to the place He would be crucified, He was whipped 39 times by Roman guards, 40 times would have killed Him. When He was put on the Cross at Calvary, His legs and hands were nailed to the tree{ I think it was His wrists that were nailed to the cross because His hands would not have held Him up there.} There was pain and agony in His face as He was nailed to the cross. He was on the cross for 6 hours and He was bleeding, sweating, and crying out to God the Father, who turned His face away from Jesus on the cross because God cannot have sin in His holy presence. Jesus, the perfect, sinless man paid the ultimate sacrifice for His people so that they would not experience the wrath of God the Father. Now to say that to live is Christ and to die is gain is completely true. He was buried for three days, the tomb was rolled away and He rose form the dead. Jesus came back to earth after His death, and Thomas and the rest of the disciples saw Him and He told Thomas to touch his scars, and He told Thomas that the man who believes by faith and not just by sight is truly blessed. "After six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There He was transfigured before them. His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them. And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus. Peter said to Jesus, 'Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters - one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.' (He did not know what to say, they were so frightened.) Then a cloud appeared and enveloped them, and a voice came from the cloud: 'This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!' Suddenly, when they looked around, they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus. As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus gave them orders not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead" (Mark 9:2-9). This is the story of the Transfiguration of Jesus Christ, and now He is at the right hand of God the Father in eternal life. Jesus is alive!!!!!

Remembering the importance of Jesus Christ and His life, death, and resurrection,
Mark Cannon