Why Celebrate Easter?

“The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”

The Scriptures tell us that we are sinners by choice and by nature and that is why the prophet Isaiah compares us to sheep that are prone to wonder away from the Shepherd. It is because of this sin nature that the Messiah had to go to the cross bearing the consequences of all the sins of men. “The Greek word for "cross" is stauros, and the Latin word is crux. It primarily means "an upright stake or beam or a stake used as an instrument for punishment and execution.” Crucifixion was reserved for slaves, the lower classes and the worst types of criminals. Dying on a cross was the worst possible to die and that is why, in the Garden, even before the crucifixion began His disciples reported seeing Jesus sweating so profusely - that tiny blood vessels were rupturing in His sweat glands and emitting as great red drops that fell to the ground. Knowing that in just a few short hours He would be going to the cross, He cried out in Matthew 26:39, which says this: “He went a little further and fell on His face, and prayed saying, O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me: nevertheless not as I will, but as You will.” But, there was no other way possible to pay for the sins of the world so He went to the cross and in doing so not only did He feel the beatings of sinful men but the fullness of divine wrath. The beatings administered by Roman soldiers are well known to be very bloody, leaving open wounds all over the body. In addition a crown of thorns was not placed but forced into his scalp which was capable of severely irritating major nerves in his head, causing increasing and excruciating pain. In Christ's severely stressed condition, these beatings were easily enough to kill him. His body was horribly bruised, cut, and bleeding to the point that He was beyond description. Having had no nourishment for many hours, and having lost fluids through profuse sweating and much bleeding, Jesus would have been severely dehydrated. Imagine being in that condition and being forced to carry a heavy object like a cross. The Roman soldiers drove those nails into the median nerve of his hands causing pain so incredible that even morphine wouldn’t have helped. The pain so incredible that it was like lightning bolts traversing from the arm into the spinal cord. Some believe that Jesus did not die from exhaustion or the 3 hours of the crucifixion, but that he died from agony of mind which in affect ruptured His heart. But, we must never minimize His sufferings. He felt every rip of the whip and ever sting of the reed. His bruised and torn muscles strained to carry the cross, He felt every nail being driven into His hands and feet. His entire weight rested on them when the cross was upright. But, as they drove those nails into His hands He was thinking about you, as they kicked and spat at Him you were on His mind, as they cursed Him and mocked Him He was thinking about you, and if you were the only one that would ever believe in Him He still would have died on the cross. Now, with that image fresh in your mind, we need to understand that the Sacrificial Servant did not suffer for His own sins, He was sinless. He died for you griefs, your sorrows, your transgressions, and your iniquities. And the manner in which God laid your sins on Him was that God treated Him as if He had committed every sin by every person who would ever believe in Him. It was for your sins and for my sins that the Prince of Peace gave His life as a ransom.

Father, forgive us! Father forgive me for it was my sins that took You to the cross!

Pastor Paul,

May God bless you as you remain faithful to Him!

Have a good Easter but never forget that Jesus Christ is the reason for the season!!!