When I first became a Christian, everything changed. The trees seemed greener. The sky seemed bluer. The birds seemed to sing louder (and prettier). Everything was alive ~ including me! (Ephesians 2:1-4)
Then came Holy Week. That’s the week that starts with Palm Sunday, the day we celebrate and remember Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem riding on a donkey. (Matthew 21:1-11) (The people worshiped Him!) Holy Week ends with Easter, the most fantastic day ever. Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after having died on the cross for our sins. (Mark 16:1-8) Wow! (The single, most significant thing that sets Christianity apart from all other religions is the empty tomb.)
And just like the trees and the sky and the birds seemed more alive to me as a new believer, so Holy Week was, too! (I tear up as I think about it.)
Every day that week there was playing on TV an Easter movie. Remember those? (Boy, how things have changed in 27 years.) And every day I watched. And every day my heart rejoiced and was filled with joy. (I felt the Lord!)
You see, it wasn’t quite alive like this (the message of Jesus, His death in my place and His resurrection) in prior times. Oh sure, I was a church-goer. Oh sure, I “celebrated” Easter before. But now it was totally different. It couldn’t help but be. When you have Jesus in your heart and receive Him into your life and surrender to His plan and will with your entire being, His story becomes real. The Bible becomes understandable. You’re no longer afraid of death. (Hebrews 2:14-15) (Who needed to hear that?) Everything changes!
Many people go to church, but they have no relationship with God. This is religion ~ a bunch of rules and repeated prayers, but there’s no life in it. It was never meant to be that way.
“Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.” (2 Corinthians 5:17)
About Pastor Mike
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