Happy Easter

  Two thousand eighteen years ago, a man died a horrible death, the most important man in history, a man who's death we celebrate this weekend, rather than mourn. Usually, when we look back on the life of one of the great people who has passed into history, we do so with a sense of sadness and loss. But this man was different, as his death didn't mean the end, but a beginning. So important was this man, that our modern day calendars are the means of accurately marking time both before his death and after it. Time before his life is recognized as being B.C., and the time that came after his death as A.D. 

  I am speaking of course about of the God-man Jesus Christ. Though the haters of God look to do what haters of all types look to do and are doing still, and that is, to remove statues, and chiseled rock monuments of any kind, many of which have stood for thousands of years, that do not agree with their narrow and wrongful point of view.  but enough about hate. Haters hate, thats just what they do. They have zero tolerance for anything or anyone who challenges what they have been taught to believe. Haters are taught, as it is not their nature, and frankly, beyond their ability, to think for themselves. They are always the product of group think, and soon become a mob rather than a rational group of people.  Just some friendly advice, Stay away from the type who insists on you believing and thinking as they do, as slaves are made in such ways. 

  Today is Good Friday, the day we mark as a most important day. A day not for mourning, but a day where though a terrible one to endure for the man Jesus, was the beginning of the plan as decided by God the Father as the only way to take away the sins of us all. Most all of the religions throughout history required the spilling of innocent blood as a way to atone for the sins and wrong doing of the group. We have all heard the stories of virgins being sacrificed by heathens by slaughtering them or pushing them into a volcano. There is nothing new in some kind of blood sacrifice as a way to appease a god of any kind. Indeed, the ancient Jews were instructed by men through God, to spill the blood of an innocent animal, usually the purest lamb available. Those who couldn't afford a lamb, would buy and offer small animals like birds to be killed and sacrificed for their families. It was by design a gruesome event, as the blood of the sacrificed had to be spilled on the alters of the Synagogue and Temples to impress upon the people of how grievous God saw sin. 

  But God the Father in his wisdom looked because of the love he had for his created people, for a way for the sinful to attain eternity with Him. A way that once done for all was the way of forgiveness for all that had happened and all that was yet to come. So He took a part of Himself, and sent His son Jesus to be born of a virgin, to grow up among us, and to die for us as the perfect and pure sacrifice for all who acknowledged His son as the only way to Himself. (see John 3:16) He, Jesus, came to earth knowing full well that he was to be scorned and ridiculed, beaten and spat upon, scourged till the flesh on his body was torn away, and to finally die nailed to a cross. No greater love could any man have for another, to not only die for them, but to suffer so until death would finally end his suffering. Jesus came into this world to teach the way of God, yes, but he was to be offered up as a living sacrifice, innocent of wrong, a pure sacrifice, done once, and done for all, forever. He came the first time as the Lamb of God, given as a living sacrifice, given as the only way to attain eternal life with God as one in God, as is our Lord and savior, Jesus Christ. 

  Therefore, today is the day we recognize as the day that the man Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice for us all, a sad day yes, but not a day for mourning, but rather of thankfulness. As it was on this day that we are reminded of how great a sacrifice was made for us. How great was this sacrifice? Worse than the beatings and the spitting and all forms of disrespect that He had to endure, was the fact that for what must have seemed an eternity for the Son, he was separated from his Father in Heaven, as God the Father turned His gaze away from his son, as at that moment, Jesus became the worst of what we were, and the worst of all we would be. Jesus became for that brief moment, a murderer, a rapist, a pedophile, and all of the murderous tyrants who were and who was to come. He became at that moment the epitome of the filth of sin, and his Father could not bear to look upon him. Jesus sensing this cried out, Father, my God, why have you forsaken me? Surely, this moment of separation must have been worse than evan the atrocities he had endured. 

  The great news? On the third day he rose from the grave in which they had placed his body, and for a short time joined again with his followers who loved him, teaching them about what had happened so that they fully understood the significance. He also taught them some of the many secret things of God, and then, before rising up in their sight into the heavens, commanded them to, Go out into all the world and spread the good news of the gospel. 

  Keep in mind, that even though some years later, the followers of Jesus's teachings were called Christians, and that from this original group of followers were to give berth to many religions.  True Christianity is not a religion of any name, but rather, calls to the individual to a personal relationship and a steadfast belief in who Jesus was and is. Read and study the bible, and as scripture tells us, meditate on it day and night, for there is no religion of men that can save you. As Jesus himself said, I am the Way, the Truth and the Life, and no one comes to the Father except through me. Happy Easter!