This last week my wife and I were pondering why the ending of Jesus’ life had to happen the way it did. After all, God is all powerful and if it were His will, I have no doubt it could have just been done by His word. But was a great and wonderful act of symbolism He gave to us. What a perfect time of year that this happened during. When winter is melting away and the Earth is going through a re-birth. Trees and plants are coming back to life. Baby birds and other animals are born. When Christ died and was resurrected it was a new life for humanity as we know it. Because of this act, sin and death had now been beaten. We were now free from Satin’s grasp. We now had new life.
Each year on January 1st we celebrate New Years. It is a time were people start over and make resolutions for the upcoming year to better themselves and others. Whether it is to loose weight or to spend more time with family, people take these goals seriously and try there best to accomplish them. As Christians, we have our very own version of New Years. As Easter comes each year, we should take the opportunity to commit to a new life in Christ. Look deep into your own life, and pick out some of those things that you struggle with, cause we all have them. Make some “New Years Resolutions” for those things you would like to accomplish. Make a goal to read the entire Bible this year. If you read only 3.3 chapters each day, you will finish the entire bible in one year. Take this time to be re-born again. Romans 8:11 If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you. Once a month all of the men in the Christian community here in the Bridger Valley get together on a Saturday morning for a Men’s Breakfast. It is a time for fellowship, sharing, and learning between all of us. This morning the conversation rotated around becoming one with God and having a TRUE relationship with Him. One man said that his goal was to follow 1 Corinthians 10:31 So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. Whether we are in church, at work, or with our families at home, we need to take EVERY SINGLE action we do and ask ourselves, “Am I doing this for the glory of God?” He should be first and foremost above everything else.
As Jesus entered Jerusalem on Palm Sunday there were crowds of people shouting “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! The King of Israel!” How sad to see that five days later these same voices were now shouting, “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!” We are so quick to look down on those who betrayed Jesus in the last days of His life, but in all reality, how many of us betray Him each and every day. Whether it is to look popular, or satisfy worldly needs, or to gain profit for ourselves. Not that we may deny Him, but when we put ANYTHING before Him, we are betraying Him. Matthew 10:37 Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. If the Lord is not #1 in our lives then we have no hope. All we do should be to lift Him up and praise Him in all things. Please take the time to watch this video and think about how much Jesus loves you! Remember Him always and He will always remember you. Galatians 5:1 For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.
