Previous Challenge Entry (Level 2 – Intermediate)
Topic: Easter (05/30/05)
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TITLE: six messages of easter | Previous Challenge Entry
By Babashola Ogunfuye
06/02/05 -
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1)EMPATHY:
“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weakness…” (Heb.4:15, NIV).
Easter reminds us of the confidence we have to admit our flaws and failures to a perfect God, in prayer. This wouldn’t have been possible had we not have a loving high priest who died, rose, and now lives- glorified- forever.
Because of Jesus’ empathy, we, now, don’t have to pay the ultimate penalty- though we’d bear the consequences of our deeds- for our sins. Jesus paid it all, on the cross.
2)ANSWER:
“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus… and sat down on the right hand of the throne of God” (Heb.12:2, NIV).
Easter gives Answer to all our fears, in an evil world. Jesus suffered ahead of us- and on our behalf- so that we might have the power to overcome every feelings of fear, hatred, shame, or sorrow on our journey to becoming like Him in a broken and bent world.
3)SURRENDER:
“…he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her Shearer is silent, so he did not open his mouth” (Isa.53:7’ NIV)
All because Jesus sympathizes with us for our transgressions, He who was flawless Surrendered Himself to oppression, injustice, and affliction- that we might be comforted.
Now, Christians often try to explain which stage of Jesus’ live is most significant: His birth, His death, or His resurrection? This should not be the question we should always try to answer but “how much of us do we surrender to Him who surrendered His best- His all- for our sake?”
4)TRANSFORMATION:
“After the suffering of his soul, he will see the light of life and be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many…Therefore I will give him a portion among the great…(Isa.52:11-12,NIV)
One significant message of Easter is the Transformation power of Christ’s suffering before and on the cross. Suffering unjustly, for Jesus, was wholly undeserved. Yet it resulted into a ministry that would change the whole world.
We also need to be assured that God will transform our trials to work for our own good and to His glory- just has He transformed the cross.
5)EMPTINESS:
Easter will also remind us of the blessedness that can be found in Emptiness.
The significant message in the Jesus’ grave is that irrespective of our state of emptiness or nothingness, the Spirit that made Jesus too powerful for the grave to consume, is still available to make us too powerful for any desert circumstances to destroy. And He that made it possible for Jesus to draw men up with Him from the grave is always capable of transforming our emptiness and nothingness into fullness and making us sources of blessing to the world, if we can chose to love and trust Him even when we go through the desert.
6)RESURRECTION:
I believe the greatest significant Easter message is what Christ’s Resurrection did to our Christian faith. Our Christian faith would have been useless had Jesus not risen. The greatest tool of our faith- hope- would have been far from what it is today. We would have nothing to prod us into the future.
And just like a lady, in love, would want to build her hope around the man whom she believes sincerely loves her, so will a Christian who truly loves the Lord, find a sustaining hope in Christ. For His love brings hope and peace and freedom. Hallelujah!
But had Jesus not risen, what would have become of our Christian faith, today?
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