What does Easter mean?
Easter. That word conjures up so many things in people’s minds, ranging from Easter eggs and bunnies with all the fun and candy, to fellowship and good times with family and friends. But! (and what a big but!) the biggest thing Easter can ever mean to me is that this is the day especially marked in the year to remember my Savior’s blessed resurrection. It was the final step in bringing salvation to our wretched, helpless souls. And now I must say – oh please, hear me out! – if you have not let God into your life, or if you are not sure, let me tell you of the most blessed meaning of Easter!!
In the beginning, God made us, In the garden, we betrayed God.
We (through Adam and Eve, the first humans) did the only thing He told us not to do – eat of the tree in the middle of the garden. WHY? We wanted to be like God:
mutiny
Our disobedience caused death. Our selfishness brought sin.
…for sin is anything opposed to God’s perfection. And no imperfect sinner can stand in the presence of a perfect God. That’s why Adam and Eve were kicked out of the garden.
All of our sins must then be punished, But God is a God of both love and of justice.
The just condemnation of sin is death. We deserved to die because of our sins. God’s standard was perfection, and we completely blew it! As a righteous Judge, God had to punish us. Yet God is also so incredibly loving…
So in love He came, As His Son, Jesus Christ, The only One to live A sinless, spotless life.And though He should have been crowned With splendor and might, He took our shame And stooped down to our plightSo that God could strike Him And then proclaim, “Justice has been served! The debt has been paid!”So dying for us this Jesus died – God Himself, yet to man fully tied – One acquainted with grief and to sorrows well-known, But on that blessed third day He arose!Now crowned with splendor, Now seated on high, Highly exalted, Though highly despised.And with eyes fixed on you, He calmly cries,“How I love you! See it in my hands! They nailed me to the cross, But it was part of my plan!“I saw you from afar – You were near to my heart – But you couldn’t come to me Unless I did my part.“So I parted with glory, Became just like you. I was spat upon, I was beaten and bruised;“But it was all worth it (I tell you the truth!) It was all worth it –“I DID IT FOR YOU.”
If you have not received God’s gift of salvation that He offers you because of His great love, I tell you, it’s as easy as trusting Him. He says, “I paid for your debt! Now trust me.” You must simply have faith in God; it’s not about how good you’ve been or if you’ve grown up in a Christian home; it’s not about if you’ve been baptized or involved in community service. All your good works can never sweep away the fact that you stand before God’s throne of judgment as a guilty sinner – an imperfect man before an all-perfect God – and your just condemnation is for you to be swept into the flames of hell.
But God as Jesus Christ died in your place to pay the debt you owed (He took your sins upon Himself), and then He rose again in order to prove He was God and offer you a new, everlasting life. If you’ll trust Him with your life and eternal destiny today, on the basis of His death and resurrection and not any works on your part, then He will grant you the precious gift of salvation, with new life both now and later in Heaven!
If you’ve chosen today to trust Jesus for your salvation, I am so intensely happy for you!! “What now?” you may ask. Well, why don’t you thank God for the gift you’ve just received from Him? Just pray to Him – talk with Him. It could be as simple as “Thank You, God, for dying and rising again for me, an unworthy sinner.” There are no key words in prayer – God’s your friend now; open your heart to Him, and I believe He will open His to you. Also, it would probably be a good idea to get a Bible (if you don’t have one) and start reading it, and also to find and start attending a good, Bible-believing church. God will help you out, don’t worry! After all, now His own Holy Spirit resides in you – to help you, guide you, and comfort you.
Many blessings to you, and happy Resurrection Sunday!! Praise God that Jesus Christ died and rose again!! =D It’s a cause worthy of celebration. And it’s the only meaning of Easter that ultimately satisfies me. =)