Hey everyone! Today marks the celebration of the fuzzy rabbit that wants to give you chocolate and hard boiled eggs...

Just kidding!

Today marks the celebration of one of the greatest events in history. Time has been split because of Jesus, and today we remember the event which truly marked Him as special: the resurrection. Why is this so important and what about it makes Jesus so special? Well, for one, no one else has come back from the dead on their own but Him. All other prophets or religious leaders died and have a grave. Not Jesus. Secondly, He predicted that He would die and rise on the third day. Usually someone can't predict how they will die or when, let alone how many days later they will become alive again, and get it right. Lastly, He even predicted how He would die: on the cross. The cross was a special form of death reserved for rebels, thieves, and murderers, yet Jesus did none of these. Pilate himself, the representative of Rome's law in Judea, even admitted that Jesus was innocent. Yet, He was nailed to a cross, all of which fits perfectly with the prophecy of Psalm 22:

Psalm 22:14-18 (NASB) I am poured out like water, And all my bones are out of joint; My heart is like wax; It is melted within me. My strength is dried up like a potsherd, And my tongue cleaves to my jaws; And You lay me in the dust of death. For dogs have surrounded me; A band of evildoers has encompassed me; They pierced my hands and my feet. I can count all my bones. They look, they stare at me; They divide my garments among them, And for my clothing they cast lots.

Some might wonder why Jesus had to die on the cross. Isaiah 53 says perfectly why:

Isaiah 53 (NASB) Who has believed our message? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? For He grew up before Him like a tender shoot, And like a root out of parched ground; He has no {stately} form or majesty That we should look upon Him, Nor appearance that we should be attracted to Him. He was despised and forsaken of men, A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; And like one from whom men hide their face He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. Surely our griefs He Himself bore, And our sorrows He carried; Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, Smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well-being {fell} upon Him, And by His scourging we are healed. All of us like sheep have gone astray, Each of us has turned to his own way; But the LORD has caused the iniquity of us all To fall on Him. He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He did not open His mouth; Like a lamb that is led to slaughter, And like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, So He did not open His mouth. By oppression and judgment He was taken away; And as for His generation, who considered That He was cut off out of the land of the living For the transgression of my people, to whom the stroke {was due?} His grave was assigned with wicked men, Yet He was with a rich man in His death, Because He had done no violence, Nor was there any deceit in His mouth. But the LORD was pleased To crush Him, putting {Him} to grief; If He would render Himself {as} a guilt offering, He will see {His} offspring, He will prolong {His} days, And the good pleasure of the LORD will prosper in His hand. As a result of the anguish of His soul, He will see {it and} be satisfied; By His knowledge the Righteous One, My Servant, will justify the many, As He will bear their iniquities. Therefore, I will allot Him a portion with the great, And He will divide the booty with the strong; Because He poured out Himself to death, And was numbered with the transgressors; Yet He Himself bore the sin of many, And interceded for the transgressors.

Because of the cross, we who have been separated from a just God by our wicked hearts are now brought into a living, loving relationship with God. Jesus paid the price for our evil actions and had allowed us to live in peace. All He asks is that we accept this gift and let Him change our lives into what He created them to be. Jesus is extending this invitation to us all. If you don't believe me, read Revelation 22 and John 3:16:

Revelation 22:17 (NASB) The Spirit and the bride say, "Come." And let the one who hears say, "Come." And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wishes take the water of life without cost.

John 3:16 (NASB) For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.

I pray you all have a great Easter celebration today and that God speaks to you through these verses like He does do both Marianna and I. God bless!

- Shane