Easter Beyond Easter
I hope you all had a wonderful Easter and enjoyed celebrating the resurrection of our Savior!
On Saturday, I was out running errands and noticed that stores were already taking down their Easter displays and setting up for summer. While it made me excited that summer is near, it also made me want to slow down. I didn’t want to rush through Easter as if it was just another day or a Sunday where we dress a little nicer and eat a little too much. As we move on past Easter and our minds start shifting gears towards summer, I want to encourage you to slow down and reflect on what this holiday means for you in your everyday life.
Jesus died on a cross, taking the penalty that we deserve for our sin. Three days later He became alive again and defeated death and sin. When we were separated from God by the wickedness in our hearts, Jesus made a way for us to be made right with God. Friend, if you believe in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and have trusted in Him for your salvation, then you have been made new. You are justified before God. You are redeemed as a child of God. You are given the righteousness of Christ. You are being sanctified each day as you become more and more like Jesus. You are given the promise of eternal life.
How can we respond in any way other than thanksgiving, humility and obedience?
Thank God for Your Salvation - give thanks each day for the gift of salvation you've been given. Praise God for the work of Christ in your life.
Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift! (2 Corinthians 9:15)
But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth. (2 Thessalonians 2:13)
Even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. (Ephesians 2:5-7)
The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 15:56-57)
Be Humble - remember you have done nothing to earn salvation. There are not enough works you could do and you will never be good enough to earn your salvation. Do not be prideful about what you do, all glory belongs to God.
For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)
who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, (2 Timothy 1:9)
To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. (1 Timothy 1:17)
As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. (1 Peter 4:10-11)
Be Obedient - not out of obligation or fear, but out of love, thankfulness and humility in response to what Jesus has done for you.
through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations, (Romans 1:5)
if you love me, you will keep my commandments (John 14:15)
Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart (1 Peter 1:22)
And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. (Philippians 2:8)