REAL MEANING OF EASTER

For so many, Easter is just a time to buy baskets, fill them with eggs that are boiled and colored or plastic that can be filled with candy or whatever. All sizes! For some, it is a time to purchase new clothes, maybe even an Easter hat and white gloves. (OK, I'm dating myself) In fact many are buying presents like it was Christmas. And, even for their animals.

What is the real meaning of Easter. The following verses tell us just what happened on Easter. But, wait, first we must go to what we refer to as "Good Friday" - the day that Jesus gave His life for us. FOR ME! He was crucified upon a cross to take away the sins of the world. Only a Holy Person Who had never sinned could be an offering for the sins of the whole world. What an awful sight to see the Son of God hanging on that cross and suffering such agony for my sin. Oh, but God had a plan. Just before Jesus took His last breath, He cried, "It is fininished." What was finished!? The sacrifice for sin - for the sins of the whole world.

They took Him off the cross and laid Him in a tomb. Sorrow fell on all who loved Him. This is "Good Friday" - yes, good because our sin had been paid for. The story goes on...... "up from the grave He arose" - yes, on what we refer to as Easter morning, the grave was shaken and Jesus came forth, alive, alive, He has given us life!! When some went to the grave and found the stone rolled away, an angel said, "he is not here for he is risen." "Christ the Lord is Risen Today" - what a joy beyond words to describe as to the feeling of knowing that it was for me that Jesus died - and yes, rose again. Below are the words from Isaiah 53, telling us just what Jesus did for us. As you read it, please remember that it was for YOU that God gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life. It is my prayer that whoever finds this blog and reads this will turn to Jesus and be saved. God bless you.

Isaiah 53
Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?
2 For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, And as a root out of dry ground.He has no form or comeliness; And when we see Him, There is no beauty that we should desire Him.
3 He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.
4 Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted.
5 But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities;The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray;We have turned, every one, to his own way;And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.
7 He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, And as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so He opened not His mouth.
8 He was taken from prison and from judgment, And who will declare His generation? For He was cut off from the land of the living; For the transgressions of My people He was stricken.
9 And they made His grave with the wicked --But with the rich at His death, Because He had done no violence, Nor was any deceit in His mouth.
10 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise Him;He has put Him to grief. When You make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, And the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in His hand.
11 He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied.By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many,For He shall bear their iniquities.
12 Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great, And He shall divide the spoil with the strong, Because He poured out His soul unto death, And He was numbered with the transgressors,And He bore the sin of many,And made intercession for the transgressors.NKJV