For Believers, as we go into the Easter Weekend we know that our Lord of Love, Christ Jesus, gave His life for us over 2000 years ago. It is both a time of sadness as we reflect on what He had to go through, and a time of happiness and celebration from the incredible results that came of it.
Jesus came to show us how to live. Study His life and there is parallel after parallel to the lives we experience here on Earth.
In the Gospel of John, as Jesus was concluding His Last Supper with His Disciples, Jesus had just introduced the concept of the Holy Spirit, how His Spirit would arrive once He departed and how It would usher truth into the world since few believed Jesus’ message. It was going to be Spirit’s job to open many more eyes. He said to The 12, “I have told you these things so that you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart, I have overcome the world.” Note Jesus spoke as if overcoming the world was already done. He knew the efforts of his own job would usher in that overcoming…
He knew the plan, knew how horrible it would be. We see his very real fear when he asks Father if there was another way. But, even as he asked, he knew there was no way he wasn’t going to do the very specific work God gave Him to do. Because he trusted in God’s sovereignty and how all the pieces would one day fit together for the good of man.
He prayed, “Father the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son may glorify You. For You granted Him authority over all people that He might give eternal life to all those You have given Him. Now this is eternal life; that they know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. I have brought You glory on earth by finishing the work you gave Me to do. And now Father, glorify Me in Your presence with the glory I had with You before the world began.”
We know He took what sin deserved in the brutality he suffered. It’s hard to imagine there was much left of Him by the time they were done. Then, interestingly, we know that he kept on with his “job” even after death when, first, He went to Hades to set captives there free and, next, He returned to His people to show them life doesn’t end at death. The resurrection body was His proof. Not only does life not end but restoration beyond our wildest comprehension waits for us even in the face of full and utter destruction.
As I have said so often lately, we must keep our brothers and sisters in the Russia – Ukraine war in mind as we pray. Just as when the days were at hand that our Jesus was being physically annihilated, It is a time of sadness and horror right now for so many. It is difficult to see good coming from this right now as thousands are being killed. But this is a people choosing to do their job… no matter the cost. So, let us pray those that perish be ushered right into Heaven, that the country is glorified for giving their lives for their land and families, as our Christ did for us. And that they are restored beyond our wildest conceptions.
During this resurrection season, let us look to our God of Love to bring good and wonderful restoration to each of us who do the work of the job of believing in Him. Let us not look away from the victims of this war in front of us. Let us have faith that restoration will come. Let us apply this great lesson to all of our problems because Jesus has overcome the world. That means so will we. That is what we are celebrating this weekend.
Happy Easter, Precious Ones.
Poppa B