Holy Week Series - Pt. 5: Easter Sunday

When Jesus was arrested and brought before Pontius Pilate, Pilate wanted to release Jesus, but he knew that if he didn't please the civilians of Jerusalem, they might overthrow him. So Pilate gave the gathered crowd a choice, he could release Jesus or Barabbas. Barabbas was in prison for an insurrection in the city and murder, this man deserved to be punished. But Pilate gave the crowd a choice of who to release, he was confident that they would choose to release Jesus, but they didn't. Barabbas, a killer and anarchist, was set free in the place of a sinless man. 

You may think, that's not fair! It should've been Barabbas! News flash... we are Barabbas. Jesus died in our place, of course most of us aren't rioting murderers, but we still don't deserve what Jesus did for us. He healed our broken relationship with God by dying on the cross, and on the third day He rose again, conquering death.

Luke 24:1-12 says, "On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, 'Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’ Then they remembered his words. When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles. But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense. Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened."

Do you know what this means? First, Jesus sacrifices Himself in the our place when He didn't deserve it, and then when He overcame death, He entrusted women to spread the word. This may not seem like a big deal in the grand scheme of things, but it does show that Jesus died, rose again, and saved ALL of us. Not just men, not just women, not just this group or that group, ALL of us. And because of that, ALL of us have the chance to be forgiven and have eternal rest.

Once again, Happy Easter! Take a moment to thank Jesus today. ♡