HALLELUJAH HE IS RISEN!
Blessings upon you throughout this Easter Season and always!
Love,
Your LOOP Friends
Easter Sunday (Hope Comes Alive!)
All Scripture reference taken from the New Living Translation
Today is a big day in the Christian faith…
As it is the day Jesus rose from the dead…
The day He walked out of the tomb they placed Him in three days ago when He died on the Cross He was wrongfully accused of being nailed to!
The resurrection of Jesus is the crux of the Christian faith… Without it Jesus would just be another good teacher… Another good faith leader among many…
But instead, Scriptures tell us that Jesus accomplished every single prophecy foretold about Him…
Jesus fulfills every promise of God’s in the Bible…
Jesus is the only One in which eternal life in heaven can be found through…
Nobody, or nothing else can offer eternal life in heaven!
The common theme is how celebratory Palm Sunday was when the people of Jerusalem openly proclaimed Jesus as the Savior to the world… The Son of God…
Only to then experience the tragic events of Good Friday as Jesus was arrested and nailed to the Cross…
In this story of a celebration that turned tragic, but then ends in triumph…
There is a thread of hope woven through it all as this entire series of events that seemed so emotional and chaotic to those who were close to Jesus…
There is a thread of hope woven through the entire story of Jesus for all those who believed Him to be their long-awaited Messiah…
Because on this day nearly 2,000 years ago hope comes alive as Jesus walked out of the tomb they placed Him in!
But what nobody knew at the time is that this was all part of God’s plan so that salvation can be found for anyone who calls upon the name of Jesus.
Philippians 2:8 – He humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.
Speaking to the Jewish religious leaders about Jesus, Peter so boldly proclaimed this in the book of Acts…
Acts 4:12 – There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.”
The hope of eternal salvation lives within every person who calls upon the name of Jesus!
But what gets us to this point… How did all of this come about… And why did God make this the plan for eternal salvation?
Isaiah 53:6 – All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the Lord laid on Him the sins of us all.
How many of us in this room today are doing our own thing?
How many of us don’t need someone telling us what to do, or how to live?
How many of us are charting the course for our own destiny?
Like sheep we have all strayed away and left God’s paths to follow our own!
Before I put my faith in Jesus… Before I found salvation in Jesus… I can tell you how I would have answered the above questions…
All my strength, my wisdom, my destiny, my future was found in my own plans… It was all about me!
You see, we were all created by God… And we are all given free will to live the life we choose to live…
But when we choose to live a life apart from God, or outside the plans God has for us…
We are following our own plans, and they are leading us astray from the plans God had for us long before we were born.
You see, our plans are driven by our sinful nature… They might not bad plans per say… They may be very successful plans and full of good…
But apart from God they will lead us astray, and there is not eternal hope attached!
Ecclesiastes 7:20 – Not a single person on earth is always good and never sins.
This was written by King Solomon who, according to the Bible, is the wisest man to ever live…
He lived a life devoted to God… Walked away from God, strayed away from God…
Then realized the wisdom in returning back to God… And so he did!
This is why Jesus allowed Himself to be nailed to the Cross…
To save us from ourselves… Because man’s way leads to destruction, and Jesus leads to eternal life…
Romans 4:25 – He (Jesus) was handed over to die because of our sins, and He was raised to life to make us right with God.
All of this was part of God’s plan… So that when we accept what Jesus did for us on the Cross… He will make us right with God…
Jesus is the only One who can give us right standing with God!
Isaiah 53:10-11 – 10 But it was the Lord’s good plan to crush him and cause him grief. Yet when his life is made an offering for sin, he will have many descendants.
He will enjoy a long life, and the Lord’s good plan will prosper in his hands.
11 When he sees all that is accomplished by his anguish, he will be satisfied.
And because of his experience, my righteous servant will make it possible
for many to be counted righteous, for he will bear all their sins.
Let me explain something before we unpack this passage…
The Bible says that God created mankind in His own image…
What that means is we are a three-part being just as He is…
We have a body (Our physical being)… We have a mind (Our intellect, our soul)… And we have a spirit (It’s what connects us to God) …
God is; God the Father (Sits on the throne and judges, rules from above)… God the Son (Reveals to mankind the love of the Father)…
And God the Holy Spirit (Convicts us and is the very essence of God, the presence we feel when God is near) …
Because of His obedience to carry out God’s plan for the salvation of mankind…
To save us from our sinful desires…
God the Son, Jesus… Now sits at the right hand of God the Father in the throne room of heaven…
And God the Holy Spirit is the very essence of the presence of God all around us…
He is the very power of God…
And the moment we accept what Jesus did for us on the Cross, the Holy Spirit dwells within us and gives the wisdom and understanding of what God’s plan for our life is all about…
Because of mankind’s rebellion against its Creator, which started all the way back in the beginning with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden…
We are all born with a sinful nature that causes us to stray from God’s path for us…
God sent His Son, to reveal to mankind the love He has for them, and to make Him an offering for our sinful behavior.
Isaiah foretold of the events that happened on the Cross 700 years prior to it happening…
Those of us who have put our faith in Jesus are now counted as His descendants…
1 Peter 2:24 – He personally carried our sins in His body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. By His wounds you are healed.
Everything that God does is precise… It is perfect… And it has all been planned…
Because of the suffering Jesus experienced on the Cross by carrying the weight of our sins on Himself…
He is the only One to make it possible for us to be counted as righteous in God eyes
This is what Easter is all about church!
Because Jesus conquered death… He was nailed to the cross… Took upon Himself the weight of all the sins of the world (Past, present, and future) …
He died on the Cross… Was buried in a tomb… And three days later by the power of God was raised back to life!!
2 Peter 1:16 – For we were not making up clever stories when we told you about the powerful coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. We saw His majestic splendor with our own eyeswhen He received honor and glory from God the Father.
Peter spent time with Jesus as one of His closest followers… The Bible is not full of made-up stories…
It is the absolute truth about man’s encounter with God the Son when He walked the earth…
It is the absolute truth about God’s plans for mankind and His plan of salvation and eternal life given to all those who accept what Jesus did for us on the Cross.
Matthew 28:1-10 – Early on Sunday morning, as the new day was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went out to visit the tomb. 2 Suddenly there was a great earthquake! For an angel of the Lord came down from heaven, rolled aside the stone, and sat on it. 3 His face shone like lightning, and his clothing was as white as snow. 4 The guards shook with fear when they saw him, and they fell into a dead faint. 5 Then the angel spoke to the women. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6 He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen. Come, see where his body was lying. 7 And now, go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and he is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there. Remember what I have told you.” 8 The women ran quickly from the tomb. They were very frightened but also filled with great joy, and they rushed to give the disciples the angel’s message. 9 And as they went, Jesus met them and greeted them. And they ran to him, grasped his feet, and worshiped him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t be afraid! Go tell my brothers to leave for Galilee, and they will see me there.”
John 20:19 – That Sunday evening the disciples were meeting behind locked doors because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders. Suddenly, Jesus was standing there among them! “Peace be with you,” He said.
John 21:1 – Later, Jesus appeared again to the disciples beside the Sea of Galilee.
Acts 1:3 – During the forty days after He suffered and died, He appeared to the apostles from time to time, and He proved to them in many ways that He was actually alive. And He talked to them about the Kingdom of God.
The Kingdom of God is the most fascinating, life-giving topic to ever talk and learn about…
It is what gives me the hope to keep doing what I’m doing… It gives me the wisdom to continue following Jesus in all the plans He has for me…
It is the Kingdom of God that offers life here on earth and eternal life in heaven.
I want to read one final passage to you… And this is from a man who was once a religious leader that held the highest of positions amongst his peers…
He hated Jesus so much he thought it was his duty to go door to door looking for those who followed Jesus and extinguish this new faith that was gaining ground after Jesus’ death on the Cross…
He is the Apostle Paul, who had a radical encounter with the risen Jesus…
His encounter with Jesus was so powerful that Paul ended up writing most of the New Testament and played a major role in the birth of the early church…
1 Corinthians 15:3-9 – 3 I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. 4 He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said. 5 He was seen by Peter and then by the Twelve. 6 After that, he was seen by more than 500 of his followers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. 7 Then he was seen by James and later by all the apostles. 8 Last of all, as though I had been born at the wrong time, I also saw him. 9 For I am the least of all the apostles. In fact, I’m not even worthy to be called an apostle after the way I persecuted God’s church.
If a guy who hated Jesus which such passion can turn around a write these words…
We ought to pay attention!
Jesus taught in…
John 10:10-11 – “My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep.”
We are not really living life until we are connected to God…
And the only way to be connected to God is through His Son, Jesus…
If we’re not connected to God, we are just existing in this world…
We may think we’re living out a purpose, but we’re living out what we think is right…
Jesus has a purpose for us that is rich and satisfying… A purpose that is life giving and good…
A purpose that leads to eternal life in heaven with God… Not death apart from God.
Psalm 138:8 – The Lord will work out His plans for my life, for your faithful love, O Lord, endures forever. Don’t abandon me, for You made me.
God has a purpose and a plan for each one of us…
This is a passage I personally hold on to because it tells me, it reminds me, that God has a purpose and a plan for my life…
That His faithful love for me… For each one of us… Will last forever…
And that when I’m feeling alone… God will not abandon me… He will not abandon anyone…
He loves us beyond measure… Because He created us…
And He wants to have a relationship with those who do not know Him…
In just a minute I’m going to give you the opportunity to get to know Jesus…
Because it is we who are the thread of hope that is woven through the story of Jesus… His creation…
It’s a very simple message… Accept what Jesus did for us on the cross…
When we confess with our mouths that Jesus is Lord and believe in our hearts that God raised Him from the dead, and that He is indeed the Son of God…
We will be saved!!
Romans 10:9-11 – If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved. As the Scriptures tell us, “Anyone who trusts in Him will never be disgraced.”
Because of Him: An Easter Poem
Written by Susan Noyes Anderson on April 10, 2022. Posted in Easter Poems, Poems about Christ
Because of Christ, we know a love
that fills the earth and sky–
a selfless and redeeming love
the world cannot deny.
Because of Him, what’s wrong on earth
will, one day, be made right.
His path is ours to understand:
the Way, the Truth, the Light.
He is the hope in faithful hearts,
the glow in love-lit eyes.
Our Savior is God’s gift to us.
In Him, our spirits rise.
He sacrificed His life to
satisfy our deepest need.
By Him, all wounds are bound, each
weary soul lifted and freed.
Forever cleansed and grateful,
we draw comfort from His grace,
surrender tears and sorrow to
the One who took our place.
Gladly, He laid His body down
to raise our bodies up.
He sank beneath all men and chose
to drink the bitter cup.
On Easter, we remember what
He bought, and what He paid.
Because of Him, mankind can live
unblemished, unafraid.
His blessings are eternal ones.
His promises are real.
What promise will we offer Him?
What will our lives reveal?
Easter Symbols and Traditions
History.com/articles/easter-symbols
Easter traditions and symbols have evolved over time, though some have been around for centuries. While to Christians, Easter is the celebration of the resurrection of Christ, many Easter traditions are not found in the Bible. The most prominent secular symbol of the Christian holiday, the Easter bunny, was reportedly introduced to America by the German immigrants who brought over their stories of an egg-laying hare. The decoration of eggs is believed to date back to at least the 13th century, while the rite of the Easter parade has even older roots. Other traditions, such as Easter candy, are among the modern additions to the celebration of this early springtime holiday.
Easter Bunny
Where did the Easter bunny come from? The Bible makes no mention of a long-eared, short-tailed creature who delivers decorated eggs to well-behaved children on Easter Sunday; nevertheless, the Easter bunny has become a prominent symbol of Christianity’s most important holiday. The exact origins of this mythical mammal are unclear, but rabbits, known to be prolific procreators, are an ancient symbol of fertility and new life.
According to some sources, the Easter bunny first arrived in America in the 1700s with German immigrants who settled in Pennsylvania and transported their tradition of an egg-laying hare called “Osterhase” or “Oschter Haws.” Their children made nests in which this creature could lay its colored eggs. Eventually, the custom spread across the United States and the fabled rabbit’s Easter morning deliveries expanded to include chocolate and other types of candy and gifts, while decorated baskets replaced nests. Additionally, children often left out carrots for the bunny in case he got hungry from all his hopping.
Easter Eggs
Easter is a religious holiday, but some of its customs, such as Easter eggs, are likely linked to pagan traditions. The egg, an ancient symbol of new life, has been associated with pagan festivals celebrating spring. From a Christian perspective, Easter eggs are said to represent Jesus’ emergence from the tomb and resurrection. Decorating eggs for Easter is a tradition that dates back to at least the 13th century, according to some sources. One explanation for this custom is that eggs were formerly a forbidden food during Lent, so people would paint and decorate them to mark the end of the period of penance and fasting, then eat them on Easter as a celebration.
Easter egg hunts and egg rolling are two popular egg-related traditions. In the U.S., the White House Easter Egg Roll, a race in which children push decorated, hard-boiled eggs across the White House lawn, is an annual event held the Monday after Easter. The first official White House egg roll occurred in 1878, when Rutherford B. Hayes was president. The event has no religious significance, although some people have considered egg rolling symbolic of the stone blocking Jesus’ tomb being rolled away, leading to his resurrection.
Easter Candy
Easter is the second best-selling candy holiday in America after Halloween. Among the most popular sweet treats associated with this day are chocolate eggs, which date back to early 19th-century Europe. Another egg-shaped candy, the jelly bean, became associated with Easter in the 1930s.
According to the National Confectioners Association, over 16 billion jelly beans are made in the United States each year for Easter, enough to fill a giant egg measuring 89 feet high and 60 feet wide. For the past decade, the top-selling non-chocolate Easter candy has been the marshmallow Peep, a sugary, pastel-colored confection. Bethlehem, Pennsylvania-based candy manufacturer Just Born (founded by Russian immigrant Sam Born in 1923) began selling Peeps in the 1950s. The original Peeps were handmade, marshmallow-flavored yellow chicks, but other shapes and flavors were later introduced, including chocolate mousse bunnies.
Easter Parade
In New York City, the Easter Parade tradition dates back to the mid-1800s, when the upper crust of society would attend Easter services at various Fifth Avenue churches and then stroll outside afterward, showing off their new spring outfits and hats. Average citizens started showing up along Fifth Avenue to check out the action. The tradition reached its peak by the mid-20th century, and in 1948, the popular film “Easter Parade” was released, starring Fred Astaire and Judy Garland and featuring the music of Irving Berlin. The title song includes the lyrics: “In your Easter bonnet, with all the frills upon it/You’ll be the grandest lady in the Easter parade.”
The Easter Parade tradition lives on in Manhattan, with Fifth Avenue from 49th Street to 57th Street being shut down during the day to traffic. Participants often sport elaborately decorated bonnets and hats. The event has no religious significance, but sources note that Easter processions have been a part of Christianity since its earliest days. Today, other cities across America also have their own parades.
Lamb and Other Traditional Easter Foods
Lamb is a traditional Easter food. Christians refer to Jesus as the “Lamb of God,” though lamb at Easter also has roots in early Passover celebrations. In the story of Exodus, the people of Egypt suffered a series of terrible plagues, including the death of all firstborn sons. Israelites painted their doorposts with sacrificed lamb’s blood so that God would “pass over” their homes. Jews who converted to Christianity continued the tradition of eating lamb at Easter. Historically, lamb would have been one of the first fresh meats available after a long winter.
Easter Lilies and Flowers
White Easter Lilies symbolize the purity of Christ to Christians and are common decorations in churches and homes around the Easter holiday. Their growth from dormant bulbs in the ground to flowers symbolize the rebirth and hope of Christ’s resurrection. Lilies are native to Japan and were brought to England in 1777, but they became popular in the U.S. after a soldier brought a suitcase of bulbs to Oregon in the wake of World War I. They went on to become the unofficial flower of Easter celebrations across the United States.