As a child, Easter represented decorated goodie baskets, colored eggs, chocolate bunnies, jelly beans, dress-up in pretty frilly dresses with crinoline slips underneath, and some of my favorite foods for dinner. But when I became older and gained a knowledge of and personal relationship with God, I learned and appreciated the significance of Christ’s Calvary Crucifixion and the power of the Redemptive Reconciling Resurrection!

“When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things“(I Corinthians 13:11).

As an adult, Easter represents the Resurrection of Christ and the ultimate sacrifice that led up to it. Join me in revisiting the biblical meaning of Easter and be open to the resurrection of your spirit with the nurturing restorative power of God’s word and His immeasurable unconditional LOVE.

EASTER— Webster’s Dictionary: a feast that commemorates Christ’s resurrection.  Strong’s Dictionary: (English) Passover events.  (Greek) pascha (paś-khah) the Passover (the meal, the day, the festival or the special sacrifices connected with it).

PASSOVER— Webster’s Dictionary:  a Jewish holiday celebrated in March or April in commemoration of the liberation of the Hebrews from slavery in Egypt [from the exemption of the Israelites from the slaughter of the firstborn of Egypt (Exodus 12:23-27)].  Strong’s Dictionary: (Hebrew) Pâcach (paw-sakh̒) to hop, i.e. (fig.) skip over (or spare); Pecach (peh̒-sakh) a pretermission, i.e. exemption; used only tech. of the Jewish Passover (the festival of the victim):— passover (offering).

RESURRECTION— Webster’s Dictionary: the rising of Christ from the dead; the rising again of all the human dead before the final judgment; Resurgence, revival.  Strong’s Dictionary: (English) rising from death.  (Greek) anatasis (an-as’-tas-is) a standing up again, i.e. (lit.) a resurrection from death (individual, gen. or by impl…), or (fig.) a (moral) recovery (of spiritual truth): — raised to life again; Ĕgĕrsis (eg’-er-sis) a resurgence (from death); Ĕgĕirō (eg-i’-ro) to waken (tran. or intr.), i.e. rouse (lit. from sleep, from sitting or lying, from disease, from death; or fig. from obscurity, inactivity, ruins, nonexistence): — awake, lift (up), raise (again, up), rear up, (a-) rise (again, up), stand, take up.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). Many people question God when they lose a loved one as if God is cruel, indifferent, and can’t identify with the pain of grief. Yet God put a plan in place from the beginning of time to sacrifice His only Son as payment, an offering for our sins, that we could reestablish a right relationship with God the Father. Jesus Christ was born to live an unblemished, humble, selfless life; die as our redemption fee; and be resurrected in all power, removing the stain of sin and the sting of death.

Although salvation is free to us, the provisions for receiving it were costly to God, who understood all too well the magnitude of freeing mankind from the bondage of sin. God saw and also experienced as Jesus all knowingly and willingly endured attempts on His life, betrayal from a close friend, mockery, scorn, spit, unspeakable torture, humiliation, and being nailed to a cross for you and me. There are some of us who may dare to die for a loved one, like a child or a spouse, but I don’t think anyone would be able to handle the fore knowledge of how and when that opportunity might present itself or knowing the violent and excruciatingly painful details in advance, not  without attempting to conveniently change the experience or wimping out in the end. Yet Jesus did it for those He loved and for those who were hard to love. “For while we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him” (Romans 5:6-9). God is acquainted with the pain of separation and death. As a man, Jesus bore our sorrows and carried our griefs; He was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities. As the ultimate sacrificial lamb, Jesus (our Passover) died that we might be free.

“Infact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood,
and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness” (Hebrews 9:22).

Praise God the story didn’t end at the Cross!  After the crucifixion, Jesus’ body was laid in a borrowed tomb and when some of the women followers had come to the tomb, He had risen as He said.  “And God both raised up the Lord and will also raise us up by His power” (1 Corinthians 6:14).  The resurrection of Christ fulfills the prophecy and the promise of overcoming death in Adam by being made alive in Christ.  For those of us who confess with our mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in our hearts that God raised Him from the dead, we are saved from sin and death, and can experience life anew in Christ on earth and eternally in heaven.

We do not have to wait until our bodies expire and Jesus returns to experience a resurrection.  We can live a resurrected life right here and now by knowing Him better and the power of His resurrection.  The Holy Spirit, who was at work in Him, is a seal deposited in us guaranteeing our inheritance and will teach us all things and renew us daily.  Jesus came that we might have an abundant life by following His example of obedience, humility, and service to others unto God.  Living a Spirit-filled life will empower us to overcome sinful habits, forgive the unforgivable, love unconditionally, persevere through pain, and face our fears, which will open the door for God to work all things together for our good, and do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think.

‘Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life.  He who believes in Me,
though he may die, he shall live” (John 11:26).

The following poem is found on page 23 of my inspirational poetry book, On Solid Ground....

RESURRECTION

You can experience the resurrection.
God deemed it so ere time had begun.
For God so loved the world
That He gave His only begotten Son.

You can experience the resurrection.
When you open your heart to Jesus Christ,
You can go through and overcome
The stress, the struggles and the strife.

You can experience the resurrection.
When your past indiscretions no longer hurt
and you don't care if the truth comes out
When so-called friends try to dish old dirt.

You can experience the resurrection,
When you have joy instead of pain,
When you praise God in the midst of battle
Before the victory has been obtained.

You can experience the resurrection,
Growing in the power of Jesus Christ.
You can experience the resurrection
Because He got up after laying down His life!