“He is Risen! He is Risen Indeed!”
As
you read this, we have just celebrated the resurrection of our Savior and Lord,
Jesus Christ.
I
had the honor of attending an Easter Sunrise Service at the beach in Perdido
Key. During the Service, Pastor Rick said two things sent Jesus Christ to the
Cross. The first was God, to bridge the barrier between us and Him through sin.
The Second, of course, is you and me through the sins we commit.
Being
at the beach, especially at Easter, gives one a chance at reflection and
examination. I asked myself what sins of mine drove those nails through Jesus?
There are too many to list here, but two are anger and lack of forgiveness on
my part.
Ephesians
4:30-5:2 reminds us to …”Get rid of all bitterness, rage, and anger, brawling
and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one
another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”
And
as we further contemplate this at Easter time, the Bible goes on to remind us
that “He himself bore our sins in His body on the tree…by his wounds you have
been healed [or forgiven of sins]” (1 Peter 2:24).
In
other words, God, through Jesus on the Cross, cancelled our debt of sin. When I
think about that cost, as the old Hymnal goes, “I tremble.”
Trust
me it is easy to be angry right now. Especially when you see what is being done
to our beloved land and heritage. It is hard to even fathom how I could forgive
our enemies and the things they do. But notice I did not say forget. Our Pastor
at Highlands, Chris Hodges, frequently reminds us that forgiveness does not
mean reconciliation. You don’t have to hang out with them on Friday night, but
you must move on from anger and hate.
Why?
Imagine if there was no Christmas and no Easter? No Cross, no resurrection. In
other words, you are not forgiven. God makes you carry your sin and you wind up
in hell.
I
think of that now every time I get mad, get indignant, or someone wrongs
me. I get on my knees and thank Him for
paying my debt and forgiving me my many sins and faults. You should, too!
Happy Easter! He is risen! He is Risen
indeed!
May God continue to watch over you and
your families and protect you all. And may God save the South!
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