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Easter

What the Easter Story Does For Me

by Esther Griggs
written by Esther Griggs

The story of the sacrificial death of Jesus on the cross and His ultimate resurrection changes me. Everyone who hears the story responds. It is dramatic and powerful. I heard it first as a young child and felt its impact, although maturity continues to reveal its mystery. Accepting the Easter Story for ourselves, fundamental changes occur. Restored to God in relationship, we find power for everyday living.

His body broken for us.

Fundamental Changes

Two fundamental changes occur once we accept what Jesus did for ourselves. The first is the forgiveness of sins. Psalm 103:12 says it this way, “As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.” And the apostle Paul puts it this way. “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus.” In Colossians we read, ” … having forgiven all your sins, … having wiped out the handwriting of requirements … nailed it to the cross … made a public spectacle of (principalities and powers) triumphing over them. The second change comes when Jesus removes the fear of death. We receive eternal life. Jesus sets us free from the fear of death. God’s Son broke the power of the devil and death. I know Jesus has gone through death and has prepared the way for me. God’s perfect love casts out our fear.

Restored to Relationship with God

Beyond these fundamental changes, God restores us to Himself. God is holy and cannot look on sin. Jesus as He took on our sin felt the pain of His Father looking away. The cross changed all that. We are now sons and heirs. Boldly we enter the throne room of our Heavenly Father and cry “Abba Father” Each moment of the day I have access. Whatever I need, in joy or in sorrow, I have a relationship with God through Jesus. My life thrives under His wings. All the armies of heaven are available to me as I live out my life for His glory.

Power for Everyday Living

Once dead in our trespasses and sins, Jesus has made us alive. God made us alive together with Christ. He raised us up together and made us sit in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. Once without hope, aliens to God and His promises, the blood of Christ has brought us near. Now we are saints and members of God’s household. We walk in light since being delivered from the power of darkness. The wisdom of God and the mind of Christ are available to us. Colossians provides a powerful image of our new life in Christ. We have died, our life is hidden in Christ. Putting to death the things that dishonour our Father becomes our goal. We put on the new man and live our lives in the power of the resurrected Christ.

When I accept Easter Story for myself, fundamental changes occur, I am restored to God in a relationship and I find power for everyday living. Praise be to God for His unspeakable gift!

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Easter

An Orderly Account

by Esther Griggs
written by Esther Griggs

Luke was not one of the twelve disciples. He enters the story after the resurrection of Jesus when Paul finds in him a trusted companion. His writing is for a man named Theophilus. He desires for him to know, with certainty, the things the believers had taught him. Thus he writes an orderly account of a risen Lord, in the Books of Luke and Acts. Within his record, Luke includes the reality of a spiritual world, a physical world, and the power of a risen Lord.

The Risen Lord

 

A Spiritual World

In telling the story, he includes the reality of the spiritual world. First, as he explains the desire of the religious leaders to kill Jesus, he states Satan entered Judas. There is a power at work in this story, beyond human sight. Further, when Jesus talks to Peter about his upcoming denial, Luke includes vital background information. Jesus told Peter that Satan had asked for him. Satan wanted to sift Peter like wheat. Jesus, however, interceded. He prayed Peter’s faith would not fail. He prayed for Peter to return to strengthen his brothers. Then, as Luke records Jesus praying in the garden, he gives a vivid portrayal of Jesus’ agony. He speaks of an angel appearing to Jesus, from heaven, to strengthen Him. The battle of His soul resulted in sweat like great drops of blood. At His arrest, Jesus says, “When I was with you daily in the temple, you did not try to seize me. But this is your hour and the power of darkness.” There were far more sinister yet glorious plans behind the veil of humanity. Finally, when the dark hour had passed, the angels announced, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen.” The spiritual world was as real as the physical.

A Physical World

In the physical world, Jesus teaches His competitive disciples to follow His example and be servants. In addition, Luke tells how two rival politicians become friends through their common dilemma of what to do with Jesus. Also, there is a recording of Jesus on His way to the cross, speaking to the mourners along the route. “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children.” Of the thieves on the cross, Luke writes of one who believes and receives the promise, “today you will be with Me in Paradise.” He writes of the inability of the disciples to believe Jesus had risen. The way humanity thinks and acts are part of our physical world.

The Risen Lord

Finally, the spiritual world intersects the physical world through the risen Lord! I love how Luke tells of the two walking to Emmaus. Caught up in their sorrow, and the circumstances they were experiencing, they could not see Jesus walking with them. He had to reveal Himself.  Then as He meets with his disciples over the next forty days, He opens the words written by Moses, all the prophets, and the Psalms to explain how all those writings were about Himself. He opened their understanding. He revealed it to them. The disciples didn’t understand the necessity of Jesus’ suffering until He revealed it to Him. “It was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached … you are witnesses … I send the promise of My Father upon you.. wait until you have the power from on high. ” Before He entered into His glory, He blessed them.”

Though Luke continued the Easter narrative in the Book of Acts, he concludes this portion with worship, praise and “great joy.”

When God, who we cannot see, is at work in a world which sometimes is too much with us, the Risen Lord opens our eyes to reveal HE LIVES. Luke includes the reality of a spiritual world, a physical world, and the power of a risen Lord.

 

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Easter

Mark Tells the Easter Story

by Esther Griggs
written by Esther Griggs
The Risen Lord

Mark was first to record the story of Easter. As a young man, these events imprinted on his heart and soul. Through his lense, let us look at the story of the anointing with oil, the witnesses to the resurrection, and his perception of the ongoing story.

The Anointing

 Mark records the story of a woman memorialized by her actions rather than her name. She anointed Jesus with oil for His burial. He is very specific, identifying the expensive perfume as spikenard. Further, he includes its value of over 300 denarii, which is equivalent to a year’s wages. Mark does not however include in his story the price of Judas’ betrayal nor his suicide. Could Mark, in his own way, be showing his readers the esteemed value of the anointing above the scandalous Judas narrative? The value of the Messiah honoured over being betrayed?

The Witnesses

Next, as we read Mark’s narrative, we see more details about the witnesses to the resurrection. Mary Magdalene was the first to witness Jesus alive. He not only names her but identifies her as the one from whom Jesus cast seven demons. He then writes of Jesus disguising himself to two walking along the way. Later, when together with all of them, Jesus rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart upon hearing He was alive.

The Ongoing Story

Mark adds punch to the end of his story. Rather than saying Jesus will be with us always, he shows how we will recognize His presence. He writes, “signs will follow those who believe. In My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues, they will take up serpents, and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them, they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” Then Mark writes that Jesus was received up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. The disciples went and preached everywhere and the Lord worked with them, accompanying the word with signs. Here was the proof of his abiding presence.

This story, as Mark relates, is not just about trickery and betrayal, convenience and denial, false witnesses and mockery. There is an unnamed woman with an alabaster flask, a murderer named Barrabas, a Cyrenian Simon with two sons Alexander and Rufus. There was a politician caught between a rock and a hard place, two robbers which flank him at His death, a centurion declaring, “Truly this Man was the Son of God.” In addition there was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the Less and of Joses and Salome and many other women. It is the story of God mingling with, and then redeeming all sorts of people, in all sorts of situations for the glory of God and it continues today in the power of His resurrection. All face the question, “What will you do with Jesus?”

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