And Then Sunday Came
Good Friday filled me with thankfulness, hope, joy; but that wasn't an end ...
Today was Easter Sunday ~ Resurrection Sunday, more aptly put.
And today I awoke to a beautiful, sunny morning.
Today there was a song in my heart. A song of power, a song of victory.
Today I felt a bubbling inside of me ~ a joy that comes with the realization of what this day represents.
Today we remember that sin was overcome, the grave was overthrown, the slate wiped clean, hearts washed as white as snow.
Today we again celebrate Jesus.
And really, we could do that every day.
The power of a man who took the punishment of all my sin upon Himself ~ suffered and died a brutal death ~ and the worst of it, was separated from the presence of Father God; the power of His resurrection from the dead, so that we too can one day rise and spend eternity with Him; the power of love.
And I think of a couple of men in the Bible accounts during the last days Jesus had before He died.
One was a man named Malchus. The Gospels tell of his part in the great story. He was a servant to the High Priest. He was there when Jesus was betrayed and arrested. In fact, there was a crowd of people there, including the disciples of Jesus. One of those men, Peter, cut off the ear of Malchus.
I imagine the scene ~ Malchus crying out in shock and pain, falling to the ground, arms wrapped around his head, blood pouring on to the ground around him. I can see the rest of the men there ~ shocked at the sudden action of Peter, anger rising against Jesus and His followers, ready to arrest Jesus. I can see the surprise on the faces of the other disciples, although maybe they would have felt the same rage and defense as Peter did.
I see Jesus.
He calmly bends down, picks up the ear, cradles it back against Malchus' head, where it is miraculously reattached.
Then I see shock again.
Did that really just happen?
So I wonder ... what was Malchus' response? He personally experienced the healing power of Jesus. He personally experienced the love of Jesus.
And the rest of the crowd? They were witnesses to a great act of love and tenderness. Did it affect them? I wonder. How could anyone present at this scene walk away untouched? Did Malchus go home stunned and amazed at what had just happened to him? Did he go and tell his family and friends? Did he tell the High Priest? Did he sit quietly somewhere and ponder the event?
Did he leave changed?
Another man, Barabbas, was in prison with Jesus shortly after the ear incident. He was a criminal awaiting his execution. Yet he was given a second chance. When offered the choice to free a criminal, as was custom at that time during Passover, the people asked for Barabbas to be freed, and Jesus to be crucified instead.
Interesting.
Jesus took the place of Barabbas right then, taking upon Himself the punishment of a hardened criminal. And Barabbas went free. A new life offered to him.
So I wonder ... what was Barabbas' response? He was the first person to receive the gift of the sacrifice. Was he surprised at the outcome? Did he rejoice in it? Did he watch as Jesus died in his place on the cross? How did he feel when he heard the accounts of the resurrection of Jesus? Was he one of the people who Jesus appeared to after the resurrection? Did he realize the power which freed him from a hellish eternity, and which offered him a new life? Did he go to a quiet place later and plead for forgiveness from the One who just gave all? Did he turn back to a life of crime, hate and hurt?
Did he leave changed?
And really, it's not just these men. Because, we can say we are Malchus; we are Peter; we are Barabbas; we are the chanting crowd unwilling to see our own sin; we are who He died for.
And yes, I wonder ... has the power of the cross, the power of Jesus' love for us, the power of the resurrection, the power of forgiveness, the power of healing ~ all of it ~
Has it left us changed?
Today was Easter Sunday ~ Resurrection Sunday, more aptly put.
And today I awoke to a beautiful, sunny morning.
Today there was a song in my heart. A song of power, a song of victory.
Today I felt a bubbling inside of me ~ a joy that comes with the realization of what this day represents.
Today we remember that sin was overcome, the grave was overthrown, the slate wiped clean, hearts washed as white as snow.
Today we again celebrate Jesus.
And really, we could do that every day.
The power of a man who took the punishment of all my sin upon Himself ~ suffered and died a brutal death ~ and the worst of it, was separated from the presence of Father God; the power of His resurrection from the dead, so that we too can one day rise and spend eternity with Him; the power of love.
And I think of a couple of men in the Bible accounts during the last days Jesus had before He died.
One was a man named Malchus. The Gospels tell of his part in the great story. He was a servant to the High Priest. He was there when Jesus was betrayed and arrested. In fact, there was a crowd of people there, including the disciples of Jesus. One of those men, Peter, cut off the ear of Malchus.
I imagine the scene ~ Malchus crying out in shock and pain, falling to the ground, arms wrapped around his head, blood pouring on to the ground around him. I can see the rest of the men there ~ shocked at the sudden action of Peter, anger rising against Jesus and His followers, ready to arrest Jesus. I can see the surprise on the faces of the other disciples, although maybe they would have felt the same rage and defense as Peter did.
I see Jesus.
He calmly bends down, picks up the ear, cradles it back against Malchus' head, where it is miraculously reattached.
Then I see shock again.
Did that really just happen?
So I wonder ... what was Malchus' response? He personally experienced the healing power of Jesus. He personally experienced the love of Jesus.
And the rest of the crowd? They were witnesses to a great act of love and tenderness. Did it affect them? I wonder. How could anyone present at this scene walk away untouched? Did Malchus go home stunned and amazed at what had just happened to him? Did he go and tell his family and friends? Did he tell the High Priest? Did he sit quietly somewhere and ponder the event?
Did he leave changed?
Another man, Barabbas, was in prison with Jesus shortly after the ear incident. He was a criminal awaiting his execution. Yet he was given a second chance. When offered the choice to free a criminal, as was custom at that time during Passover, the people asked for Barabbas to be freed, and Jesus to be crucified instead.
Interesting.
Jesus took the place of Barabbas right then, taking upon Himself the punishment of a hardened criminal. And Barabbas went free. A new life offered to him.
So I wonder ... what was Barabbas' response? He was the first person to receive the gift of the sacrifice. Was he surprised at the outcome? Did he rejoice in it? Did he watch as Jesus died in his place on the cross? How did he feel when he heard the accounts of the resurrection of Jesus? Was he one of the people who Jesus appeared to after the resurrection? Did he realize the power which freed him from a hellish eternity, and which offered him a new life? Did he go to a quiet place later and plead for forgiveness from the One who just gave all? Did he turn back to a life of crime, hate and hurt?
Did he leave changed?
And really, it's not just these men. Because, we can say we are Malchus; we are Peter; we are Barabbas; we are the chanting crowd unwilling to see our own sin; we are who He died for.
And yes, I wonder ... has the power of the cross, the power of Jesus' love for us, the power of the resurrection, the power of forgiveness, the power of healing ~ all of it ~
Has it left us changed?
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