He is not here, He is Risen as He said!
For those of us who are Christians, this is Holy Week. A week of incredibly mixed emotions. Actually, not unlike the emotions those of us who have lost a child or loved one face day after day.
Friday of Holy Week is called GOOD FRIDAY. At first glance it seems like an oxymoron. How can the brutal death of Jesus Christ on a cross be a good thing? But according to the Bible, and Jesus' own words, He had to die to pay the penalty for our sins, so we could be forgiven by God and spend eternity with Him in heaven.
Of course, all of this would be nonsense if there hadn't been an Easter Sunday! Easter Sunday marks the day that Jesus rose from the dead. This is a fact supported by historical accounts from both the Christian and non-Christian communities of the time. Even the Jewish religious leaders of the day had to admit that the tomb was empty and Jesus' body was nowhere to be found.
This is GOOD NEWS to every believer in Jesus Christ. Why? Because if Jesus was raised from the dead, just as Jesus said He would be, then every believer in Jesus Christ will be raised from the dead because that is what Jesus Himself said in the Gospel of John. This is the hope every mom and dad that has lost a child has. That our child lives on, and we can see them again if we have put our faith in Jesus.
That brings me to the movie trailer at the beginning of this blog. My wife Judy and I went to this movie and were blown away by the power of the message of forgiveness, as well as the message of resurrection. You see, the truth is, when a believer dies he or she is not really dead. They live on in a place the Bible calls heaven.
I think that's what make the movie I CAN ONLY IMAGINE so powerful. It shows the genuine struggle of Christians to forgive, and the transformation Jesus makes in a life so that forgiveness is possible. The movie shows the freedom that comes from forgiving others, as well as the renewing of relationships we thought impossible.
If you're struggling with forgiveness in your life we'd encourage you to see this movie. You'll never be able to forgive someone who's hurt you until you realize how much you have been forgiven yourself. Jesus died so you could be forgiven by God. He simply asks that you forgive others in return.
God bless as you head out to Good Friday and Easter services. We love you. Pat & Judy
