Where was Calvary?

Matthew 27:57-61 (ESV)

57 When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who also was a disciple of Jesus. 58 He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate ordered it to be given to him. 59 And Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen shroud 60 and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had cut in the rock. And he rolled a great stone to the entrance of the tomb and went away. 61 Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were there, sitting opposite the tomb.

Jesus was crucified around the year 33AD. The city of Jerusalem was then severely destroyed by the Romans in 70AD.

In the 130s AD the emperor Hadrian built a temple over the site of Jesus’ tomb near Calvary (Golgotha). Hadrian hated Christianity and sought to bury important Christian sites by building pagan temples over them. Finding Hadrian’s temples actually helped to know locations of important biblical sites.

In 313 AD the Roman emperor Constantine finally made it legal to be a Christian in the empire. Constantine’s mother, Helena, wanted to preserve the important sites of the Bible.

Helena had Hadrian’s temple torn down and the new Church of the Holy Sepulcher was built to preserve both the locations of Jesus’ crucifixion and tomb. Is the Church of the Holy Sepulcher really the place of Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection?

Many people who travel to Israel today are shown a place called the Garden Tomb. It’s a peaceful place with gardens all around. You feel like you’ve just stepped into a 1st century cemetery. Many people leave Israel convinced the Garden Tomb must be the authentic spot.

The problem, however, is all the Garden Tomb burial spots are simply too old. We know Jesus was laid in a freshly carved tomb. There are no 1st century tombs in the area of the Garden Tomb. There are, however, 1st century tombs inside the Church of the Holy Sepulcher.

Some say the Church of the Holy Sepulcher can’t be the spot because it’s inside the walls of Jerusalem. Crucifixion only happened outside the walls of Jerusalem.

Recent archeological work underneath the nearby Church of the Redeemer have shown the Church of the Holy Sepulcher is indeed outside the ancient city walls of Jersualem.

First, there’s a stone quarry found at the bottom layer of the excavation. These were always outside the walls of a city. Second, the Bible tells us there were gardens around the place of the crucifixion. Archeologists found proof of gardens in the area in the 1st century. Third, Golgotha was described as being on hill. The Church of the Holy Sepulcher is a lot higher than it’s surroundings. It’s truly up on a hill.

So if you ever get a chance to walk into the Church of the Holy Sepulcher know that you’re walking into the air space where the sin of humanity was paid for on the cross and death was defeated at the resurrection of Jesus.

Dear Lord, we pray that we would never take lightly what You did for each one of us. Thank You for taking our sins on Your body on the cross and then conquering death so that we may live forever in Heaven with You. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.  

Crucified Man

John 19:1-6 (ESV)

1 Then Pilate took Jesus and flogged him. 2 And the soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head and arrayed him in a purple robe. 3 They came up to him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” and struck him with their hands. 4 Pilate went out again and said to them, “See, I am bringing him out to you that you may know that I find no guilt in him.” 5 So Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said to them, “Behold the man!” 6 When the chief priests and the officers saw him, they cried out, “Crucify him, crucify him!” Pilate said to them, “Take him yourselves and crucify him, for I find no guilt in him.”

The significance of the cross cannot be overstated for a person who believes the collective sin of the world was nailed to a single cross in Jerusalem during the first century AD. The Son of God, Jesus, experienced execution by crucifixion.

An artifact discovered in 1968 brought the first century form of crucifixion to our present-day lives.

Construction workers were working on a project in a suburb north of Jerusalem. To their surprise they accidentally uncovered a Jewish tomb dating to the first century. Inside the tomb was a stone ossuary (bone box) bearing the Hebrew name John. Inside the ossuary were found the skeletal remains of a man in his twenties who had been crucified. How did they know the young man had been crucified?

The man, stunningly, still had a nail driven through his right heel. The iron nail measured 11.5 centimeters (4.53 inches) in length. Why was the nail still in his heel? The end of the nail was bent. It looks like what happened is while the nail was being driven into the cross the nail hit a knot in the wood and bent. The people burying the man left the nail in place.

Remains of olive wood, additionally, were found between the head of the nail and the heel bone.

These bones found outside Jerusalem, amazingly, can be dated to a time very close to the time of Jesus. This young man was crucified in a way slightly different from Jesus. His feet were nailed individually to the outside of the cross. His arms appear to have been tied by ropes. His arms wouldn’t have experienced the same pain Jesus experienced, yet it probably took him much longer to die.

Significance of the Discovery

This artifact proves that death by crucifixion was happening in the exact city and at the exact time mentioned in the New Testament. As we look at the nail driven into this foot we can only imagine if the same man swung the hammer placing nails in the arms and feet of Jesus. Were the nails forged by the same blacksmith? We will never know.

This artifact gives us more confidence toward the historical reliability of Jesus’ death on the cross which has bought us life.

Dear Lord, we thank You that artifacts are found they keep showing the truth of the Bible. Help us to share the confidence that we have what You did for us to those around us. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

Gethsemane

Matthew 26:36 (ESV)

Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, “Sit here, while I go over there and pray.”

Do we know where Gethsemane is located? Is it reliable to know where Jesus spent one of the most important nights in human history? The answer to both of these questions is: yes!

In Matthew, Mark and Luke we only know the disciples went to a place called Gethsemane. The word Gethsemane literally means “oil press.” Many oil presses were in caves. The temperature in caves allowed for better olive oil production. Caves also provided great natural protection from the elements.

There is only one cave in the area where people have said for 2,000 years Jesus prayed on that amazing evening before he went to the cross. The cave of Gethsemane is large. Excavations in 1956-1957 revealed the mouth of the cave was over 16 feet wide. They also found evidence as many as three olive presses were operating inside the cave.

We also know from the Bible that it was a cold night when Jesus prayed at Gethsemane. Mark 14 and John 18 say Peter was warming himself next to a fire later that night. This is important because the disciples likely did not lay down to sleep out in the open under the stars on that night. It gets pretty cold at night in Jerusalem and there’s usually a heavy dew. Having Jesus and the disciples initially laying down to rest inside the cave of Gethsemane makes much more sense.

Next to the cave, however, the garden of Gethsemane has been growing Olive Trees for as long as anyone can remember. Some of the trees in the garden today are among the oldest living things on planet earth. Many of the trees are hollow so they are unable to reliably date the older core of the tree, but they still date to well over a thousand years old!

It is likely Jesus left the disciples sleeping in the cave and then ventured out into the garden of olive trees to pray that the cup would pass from him. These are sacred places on planet earth where you can go and realize the important events of that night which lead to our soul freedom today through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus.

Dear Lord, we are reminded again how important prayer is in our life through Your example. Help us to take the time to pray each day. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

Caiaphas Ossuary

Matthew 26:57 (ESV)

Then those who had seized Jesus led him to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders had gathered.

In December, 1990, a new park was being constructed in Jerusalem. As the workers, using modern construction equipment, dug down they soon stopped and realized they had found something special. A long forgotten ceiling collapsed revealing a room deep in the earth.

Archeologist Zvi Greenhut arrived on the scene to see what the construction workers stumbled upon.

Greenhut realizes they’re looking down on a burial tomb from the time of Jesus. The archaeologists have just stepped back in time more than 2,000 years. As the flashlights sweep the tomb several ossuaries are found. An ossuary is a box that would hold a person’s bones.

They discover an exceptionally fancy ossuary. The ossuary is dated to the first century. It’s covered with an ornate design which would seem to point toward an important person.

Inside this ornate ossuary are found the bones of two babies, an adolescent child, a teenage boy, an adult woman, and a man about 60 years of age.

On the outside of the ossuary is found an inscription in the Aramaic language saying, “Joseph son of Caiaphas.”

The New Testament describes Caiaphas as one of the primary individuals involved in the crucifixion of Jesus. You may be thinking, “Wait a second. The inscription says Joseph son of Caiaphas. Not just Caiaphas.” The way the inscription is written is actually why it drew so much attention.

The first-century historian Josephus identifies the high priest at the time of Jesus as not only Caiaphas but “Joseph Caiaphas.” Josephus tells us, additionally, that Caiaphas was the Jewish high priest from 18 to 36 AD (Jewish Antiquities 18:35). A source outside the Bible helps us to establish the right name at the right time. Josephus later refers to him as “Joseph who was called Caiaphas of the high priesthood” (Jewish Antiquities 18:95).

Significance of the Artifact

The 60 year old man found in the ossuary is determined by Greenhut and others to be the high priest involved in the crucifixion of Jesus.

For those of us who believe the crucifixion to be the most important event of human history, this artifact holds substantial significance. The Caiaphas Ossuary holds the bones of a 60 year old man who 2,000 years ago led the charge to put Jesus on the cross. The ossuary strengthens the historical reliability of the cross by supporting the existence of one of its central characters.

Dear Lord, we thank You for the way history keeps showing the reliability of the Bible.  In the Name of Jesus, Amen.  

Pontius Pilate Inscription

John 19:9-11 (ESV)

9 He entered his headquarters again and said to Jesus, “Where are you from?” But Jesus gave him no answer. 10 So Pilate said to him, “You will not speak to me? Do you not know that I have authority to release you and authority to crucify you?” 11 Jesus answered him, “You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given you from above. Therefore he who delivered me over to you has the greater sin.”

Jesus speaks with determined clarity when speaking to Pilate. Those seeking the death of Jesus cry out to Pilate, “If you release this man, you are not Caesar’s friend. Everyone who makes himself a king opposes Caesar.” (John 19:12)

Pontius Pilate eventually gives in and agrees to have Jesus crucified.

It’s common for people today to question the historical events of the Bible. Since most of the events of the Bible happened between 2,000 and 4,000 years ago, it’s understandable that people wonder if it all really happened?

So, was there really a Pontius Pilate who lived in Israel during the 1st century as governor?

In 1961, readers of the Bible were shocked that an artifact had been discovered taking everyone back to those events of the first century Roman province of Judea.

A group of archaeologists, led by Dr. Antonio Frova were excavating an ancient Roman theater near Caesarea Maritima. Caesarea was a leading city in the first century located on the Mediterranean Sea. A limestone block was found there with a surprising inscription. The inscription, on three lines, reads:

…]S TIBERIVM …PON]TIVS PILATVS …PRAEF]ECTVS IVDA[EA]

The inscription is believed to be part of a larger inscription dedicating a temple in Caesarea to the emperor Tiberius. The inscription clearly reads, “Pontius Pilate, Prefect of Judea.” The inscription is significant on several levels.

Significance

It makes sense for Pilate to be dedicating a temple in Caesarea Maritima. The prefect usually lived in Caesarea and only went to Jerusalem for special purposes. An inscription of Pilate found in Caesarea fits with the first century world described in the Bible.

The dating of the inscription, in connection with its mention of Tiberius (42 BC-37AD) places the governor Pontius Pilate at the same place and time as the Bible’s information about Jesus.

The vast significance of the Pilate Inscription is attached to the significance of the crucifixion of Jesus. The inscription does not prove the conversations between Pilate and Jesus. The inscription does not prove Pilate condemned Jesus to be crucified. The inscription does not prove the forgiveness of mankind’s sin through the death of Christ. The inscription does, however, put one of the central characters of the Easter story at the right place and right time as described by the Bible.

Dear Lord, we thank You for the great sacrifice You gave for each of us. Help us this Easter season share Your great love with those all around us. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

The Cross

1 Corinthians 2:2 (ESV)

For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.

When the Apostle Paul went to the great and intellectual city of Corinth, he said, “I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:2). 

Paul was a very learned and educated man. He was on par with the happenings around him and hence was very qualified to debate with the people of Corinth. Yet, he decided to put aside all worldly knowledge and tactics and know nothing except what’s really important – Jesus Christ and Him crucified! Why?

1 Corinthians 2:5 – “that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.”

The Cross of Christ tells us a story – a love story. A powerful love story, so powerful that it has transformed millions of lives all over the world!  And still continues to do so.

To the people of Corinth, the preaching of the cross was foolishness. For us, the cross is the power of God and the wisdom of God. In fact, the answer to all the world’s problems can be found at the foot of the cross.

It is on the basis of the sacrifice of Jesus, that all our needs whether in our body, soul, mind, emotions, as well as all our material and financial needs, are met by God.

We, each of us, are burdened with our own special need, but to receive God’s solution we must all make our way to the same place – the cross of Jesus.

Dear Lord, we ask You for the grace to fast, pray, praise God and to spend time with You. Help us to work on our heart. Open our spiritual eyes so we will see what God wants us to see. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

A Powerful Declaration

Romans 1:4 (ESV)

And was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord.

If you were asked to identify a “powerful” speech, you might list Dr Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech, President Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address, Lou Gehrig’s “Farewell to Baseball” address, Patrick Henry’s “Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death” speech, or many of the other inspiring examples recorded on the pages of history. Powerful speeches are those that have proven to inspire not only the audience at the time it was given, but also future audiences for many generations. They are powerful declarations given by individuals determined to make a difference.

The most powerful declaration of all, however, is unlikely to show up on anyone’s list of most powerful speeches. That is because the most powerful declaration of all was made without a single word. It was made on Easter morning when Jesus rose to life—three days after he died. By his rising from the dead, God declared that you no longer need to fear death, sin, or Satan.

That is significant because each of those make declarations as well. Death declares that you have an expiration date, and that your life will likely end with a whimper and a moan. Sin declares that you are too weak to expect that God could ever love someone like you. Satan declares that you should feel constant guilt over all the ways you have proven to fall short of what God demands.

But all those declarations, though they can scream so loudly and powerfully in our hearts and minds so regularly, were silenced when Jesus came out of the grave on Easter morning. With one inhale of His lungs, He was declared to be more powerful than all our enemies. So listen to His powerful Word which declares that all who believe in Him will live forever in heaven that all your guilt is erased and your sins are forgiven. Be inspired by the declaration that was made on Easter morning, and let that lead the way in how you live each day.

Dear Lord, thank You for the powerful declaration that was made on Easter morning; that Jesus Christ is Lord over all, and that his work truly does silence the shouts of death, sin, and Satan. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

Easter thoughts

John 11:25 (ESV)

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live.

1.  Easter is the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ in the Christian religion.

2.  Americans spend $1.9 billion on Easter candy. That’s the second biggest candy holiday after Halloween.

3.  70% of Easter candy purchased is chocolate.

4.  76% of Americans think the ears of a chocolate bunny should be the first to be eaten.

6.  Egg dyes were once made out of natural items such as onion peels, tree bark, flower petals, and juices.

7.  There’s much debate about the practice of dyeing chicks. Many hatcheries no longer participate, but others say that it isn’t dangerous to the chick’s health because the dye only lasts until the chicks shed their fluff and grow their feathers.

8.  The first story of a rabbit (later named the “Easter Bunny”) hiding eggs in a garden was published in 1680.

9.  Easter takes place on a Sunday, after the 40-day period called Lent. Lent is referred to as a time of fasting, but participants focus more on giving up one significant indulgence.

10.              Holy Week is the celebrated during the week leading up to Easter. It begins on Palm Sunday, continues on to Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and then finally, Easter Sunday.

11.              “The White House Easter Egg Roll” event has been celebrated by the President of the United States and their families since 1878.

With all the fun things of Easter we need to remember what Easter is really about. We celebrate Easter to remember the great sacrifice that Jesus made for us in order to save us from the sins we commit so we can go to heaven. More importantly Easter Sunday helps us to remember that Jesus came back from the dead. Although he is not physically among us, He is still present in our hearts.

As we get ready to celebrate Easter tomorrow take the time to be thankful for what our Lord did for us.

Dear Lord, we thank You for dying on the cross for our sins and then raising from the dead to conquer death so that we may live forever with You. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

For Easter empty is a good thing

Romans 6:9 (ESV)

We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him.

When you think about Easter, what do you think about?

Easter bunny…

Candy…

Family get togethers…

Pastel colors?

All of those things are good and cute, but when you think about the true meaning of Easter, those seem so empty. And when it comes to the true meaning of Easter, empty is a good thing!

Normally the concept of something being empty isn’t really a good thing is it?Empty…it brings about unneeded stress.

Empty gift cards…

Empty coffee cup…

Empty wallet!!

So, empty equals no good right?

You see everybody gets together for Easter to celebrate a holiday that is to them…empty

Lets look at some points about empty.

Point #1: Empty is a good thing.

When we look at Easter in the proper light, and we understand what really happened, and what was going on, and why we celebrate Easter…empty is a good thing.

When Jesus was crucified and nailed to a cross, they buried Him in a tomb and rolled a huge heavy stone in front of the tomb. Then three days later something unbelievable happened. The tomb was empty as we read in  Luke 24: 1-8

Point #2: Empty is proof.

Now let’s back up a minute. Let’s look earlier during Jesus’ ministry when he said had to go through this to his disciples. Mark 8: 31 Then Jesus began to tell them that the Son of Man must suffer many terrible things and be rejected by the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. He would be killed, but three days later he would rise from the dead.

Proof Jesus is who he says he is.

Point #3: Empty is powerful.

Jesus has power over death. Because Jesus died and rose again, because he Jesus is who he says he is, Jesus has power of sin’s greatest weapon…death.

You know for something to have life, something else has to die. Take for instance the piece of fruit you ate. It had to be disconnected from its tree, its life source; it had to die to give you life.

Jesus is the one who says I can give you life, I can make it so that you will never really die…that even after life on earth is done with, you will live with me forever….because that is how much I love you. The empty tomb shows us that Jesus has power over death, he looked death straight in the eyes, he took death’s best sting….and overcame it!! How amazing is that!!

Point #4: Empty is permanent.

Many people visit Jerusalem each year. Plenty of people walked down some of the same roads that Jesus may have walked down. One of the places people love to visit is the place where historians believe Jesus was buried…and guess what? Till this day the tomb is still empty!!!

Jesus wasn’t in the tomb 3 days after he died….he isn’t in the tomb today….and he never will be!! Jesus is God and is alive forever! His body wasn’t stolen, it wasn’t in the wrong tomb, it wasn’t some magic trick….

So, when we look at the true meaning of Easter and everything Jesus did for us on the cross…empty is a good thing!!

Empty means Jesus is who he says he is,

Empty means Jesus has power over death,

And empty is permanent…

Jesus is permanently alive and death will never overcome him again. When we decide to follow him instead of following our own selfish desires, we too can begin to really live!

Dear Lord, we thank You for what You did for each of us that Friday when You let Yourself become sin for each one of us. And thank You for conquering death and rising for the dead so that we someday may live with YOU forever in Heaven. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

The victory of Easter

1 Corinthians 15:55-57  (ESV) 

55 “O death, where is your victory?

    O death, where is your sting?”

56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Eric Barker, a missionary from Great Britain, spent over fifty years in Portugal preaching the Gospel, often under adverse conditions. At the beginning of World War II, the situation in Europe became so difficult that he was advised to send his wife and six children to England for safety. His sister and her three children were also evacuated on the same ship.

Although his family were forced to leave, Eric remained behind to carry on the work. The Sunday following their departure, Pastor Barker stood before his congregation and said, "I've just received word that all my family have arrived safely home!" He then proceeded with the service.

Later, the full meaning of his words became known to his congregation. He had been handed a wire just before the service informing him that a German submarine had torpedoed the ship with his family. Everyone on board had perished.

Eric Barker knew that because all his family were believers they had reached a more desired home." Although overwhelmed with grief, he managed by the grace of God to live above his circumstances and to give God the glory for bringing his family safely home. The knowledge that his family was with Jesus in Heaven comforted his heart.

This bit of history tells the importance of Jesus crucifixion, death, resurrection, and ascension into heaven. Without a sinless sacrifice who willing took the punishment for each of the individual sins of each of Eric Bakers family members he would not have had the assurance that they had arrived safely home.

If the enemy sinks your ship where will you go to spend eternity? If you are safe in the ark of His covenant made possible by Jesus, the Lamb of God, you will ascend to heaven.

Happy Easter! He is Alive!

Dear Lord, thank You for the great sacrifice You gave of dying on the cross for our sins and on the 3^rd day conquering death so that each of us can have forgiveness of our sins and conquer death someday. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

Never mind me

Luke 22:41-43 (ESV)

41 And he withdrew from them about a stone's throw, and knelt down and prayed, 42 saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” 43 And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him.

A good, many years ago, during a Massachusetts winter, a brother and sister, nine and eleven years old, were walking on the ice of a river.

They hit a thin patch; the ice gave way, and they fell through. Kicking to the surface, they yelled for help.

Summoned by their screams, a man came running. He jumped into the water and tried to help both children. It was an incredibly difficult thing for him to do. Seeing that the man was losing the battle the nine-year-old boy shouted, "Never mind me. Save Annette!"

That's what happened. The man saved Annette; the boy died.

I've often wondered why did the boy call out, "Never mind me. Save Annette!"

Was it a rational decision? Did he debate the matter? After weighing the pros and cons, did he conclude he would rather see his sister saved than himself? Anybody who thinks that has never been in ice-cold water.

No, the boy didn't have the kind of time necessary to put the pros and cons onto the scale.

What happened was this: that boy, that Christian boy, made his self-sacrificing statement, because it was part of him. From his home, from his church, from parents and grandparents, from a long line of volunteer and paid teachers, he had learned to try and do as the Savior had done for him.

Now you and I both know it's not normal to say, "Never mind me. Save Annette."

It's not normal, but that is what Jesus did for us. Look once again at His prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane. True, the Savior doesn't mention Annette, nor does He call out our specific names. Even so, Jesus' prayer basically states, "Father, never mind Me. Save the world."

This, of course, is what happened. Jesus died and the world was redeemed. Now all who are brought to faith in the Savior are given forgiveness and eternal life.

And what will happen if we, in the Savior's Name, make sacrifices for others? I can't tell you that, but I do know today tens of thousands of people have heard the story of a Christian boy who said, "Never mind me. Save Annette."

Dear Lord, thanks for making the decision to save each of us. Help us all be mindful of what You have done for us.  Help us to share that with those around us this Easter Season. In the Name, of Jesus, Amen.  

Happy Easter - The Tomb is Empty

John 20:1-18 (NIV)

1 Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. 2 So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!” 3 So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. 4 Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5 He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. 6 Then Simon Peter came along behind him and went straight into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, 7 as well as the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus’ head. The cloth was still lying in its place, separate from the linen. 8 Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. 9 (They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.) 10 Then the disciples went back to where they were staying. 11 Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb 12 and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot. 13 They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?” “They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.” 14 At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus. 15 He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?” Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.” 16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”). 17 Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” 18 Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that he had said these things to her.

Little Philip, born with Down's syndrome, attended a third-grade Sunday School class with several eight-year-old boys and girls. Typical of that age, the children did not readily accept Philip with his differences, according to an article in Leadership magazine. But because of a creative teacher, they began to care about Philip and accept him as part of the group, though not fully. The Sunday after Easter the teacher brought Leggs pantyhose containers, the kind that look like large eggs. Each receiving one, the children were told to go outside on that lovely spring day, find some symbol for new life, and put it in the egg-like container. Back in the classroom, they would share their new-life symbols, opening the containers one by one in surprise fashion. After running about the church property in wild confusion, the students returned to the classroom and placed the containers on the table. Surrounded by the children, the teacher began to open them one by one. After each one, whether flower, butterfly, or leaf, the class would ooh and ahh. Then one was opened, revealing nothing inside. The children exclaimed, "That's stupid. That's not fair. Somebody didn't do their assignment." Philip spoke up, "That's mine." "Philip, you don't ever do things right!" the student retorted. "There's nothing there!" I did so do it," Philip insisted. "I did do it. It's empty. the tomb was empty!" Silence followed. From then on Philip became a full member of the class.

He died not long afterward from an infection most normal children would have shrugged off. At the funeral this class of eight-year-olds marched up to the altar not with flowers, but with their Sunday school teacher, each to lay on it an empty pantyhose egg.

What a great reminder that on the first Easter the tomb was empty and our Lord was risen and alive. Let us not fail to remember not only this Easter day the fact that our Lord is alive but every day.

Dear Lord, thank You for dyeing on the cross for our sins being buried then rising form the dead conquering death. Thank You that we can call upon Your name and ask forgiveness for our sins because of what You did for each of us. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

The Egg is Empty

Matthew 28:1-10 (NIV)

1 After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.

2 There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. 4 The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. 5 The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6 He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. 7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.” 8 So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. 9 Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”

Jeremy was born with a twisted body, a slow mind and a chronic, terminal illness that had been slowly killing him all his young life. Still, his parents had tried to give him as normal a life as possible and had sent him to St. Theresa's Elementary School.

At the age of 12, Jeremy was only in second grade, seemingly unable to learn. His teacher, Doris Miller, often became exasperated with him. He would squirm in his seat, drool and make grunting noises. At other times, he spoke clearly and distinctly, as if a spot of light had penetrated the darkness of his brain. Most of the time, however, Jeremy irritated his teacher.

One day, she called his parents and asked them to come to St. Teresa's for a consultation. As the Forresters sat quietly in the empty classroom, Doris said to them, "Jeremy really belongs in a special school. It isn't fair to him to be with younger children who don't have learning problems. Why, there is a five- year gap between his age and that of the other students!" Mrs. Forrester cried softly into a tissue while her husband spoke. "Miss Miller," he said, "there is no school of that kind nearby. It would be a terrible shock for Jeremy if we had to take him out of this school. We know he really likes it here."

Doris sat for a long time after they left, staring at the snow outside the window. Its coldness seemed to seep into her soul. She wanted to sympathize with the Forresters. After all, their only child had a terminal illness. But it wasn't fair to keep him in her class. She had 18 other youngsters to teach and Jeremy was a distraction. Furthermore, he would never learn to read or write. Why waste any more time trying? As she pondered the situation, guilt washed over her. "Oh God," she said aloud, "here I am complaining when my problems are nothing compared with that poor family! Please help me to be more patient with Jeremy."

From that day on, she tried hard to ignore Jeremy's noises and his blank stares. Then one day he limped to her desk, dragging his bad leg behind him. "I love you, Miss Miller," he exclaimed, loudly enough for the whole class to hear. The other children snickered, and Doris' face turned red. She stammered, "Wh-Why, that's very nice, Jeremy. Now please take your seat."

Spring came, and the children talked excitedly about the coming of Easter. Doris told them the story of Jesus, and then to emphasize the idea of new life springing forth, she gave each of the children a large plastic egg. "Now," she said to them "I want you to take this home and bring it back tomorrow with something inside that shows new life. Do you understand?" "Yes, Miss Miller!" the children responded enthusiastically - all except for Jeremy. He just listened intently, his eyes never left her face. He did not even make his usual noises. Had he understood what she had said about Jesus' death and resurrection? Did he understand the assignment? Perhaps she should call his parents and explain the project to them. That evening, Doris' kitchen sink stopped up. She called the landlord and waited an hour for him to come by and unclog it. After that, she still had to shop for groceries, iron a blouse and prepare a vocabulary test for the next day. She completely forgot about phoning Jeremy's parents.

The next morning, 19 children came to school, laughing and talking as they placed their eggs in the large wicker basket on Miss Miller's desk. After they completed their Math lesson, it was time to open the eggs. In the first egg, Doris found a flower. "Oh yes, a flower is certainly a sign of new life," she said. "When plants peek through the ground we know that spring is here." A small girl in the first row waved her arms. "That's my egg, Miss Miller," she called out. The next egg contained a plastic butterfly, which looked very real. Doris held it up. "We all know that a caterpillar changes and grows into a beautiful butterfly. Yes that is new life, too" Little Judy smiled proudly and said, "Miss Miller, that one is mine." Next Doris found a rock with moss on it. She explained that the moss, too, showed life. Billy spoke up from the back of the classroom. "My Daddy helped me!" he beamed.

Then Doris opened the fourth egg. She gasped. The egg was empty! Surely it must be Jeremy's, she thought, and, of course, he did not understand her instructions. If only she had not forgotten to phone his parents. Because she did not want to embarrass him, she quietly set the egg aside and reached for another. Suddenly Jeremy spoke up. "Miss Miller, aren't you going to talk about my egg?" Flustered, Doris replied, "but Jeremy - your egg is empty!" He looked into her eyes and said softly, "Yes, but Jesus' tomb was empty too!" Time stopped. When she could speak again. Doris asked him, " Do you know why the tomb was empty?" "Oh yes!" Jeremy exclaimed. "Jesus was killed and put in there. Then his Father raised him up!"  

What a great reminder, the tomb is empty.

Dear Lord, thank You for dying on the cross for our sins and rising form the dead. Help us not only celebrate that special gift on Easter but throughout the year. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

A Dozen Eggs and the Easter Story

1 John 2:25 (NIV)

And this is what he promised us—eternal life.

Tomorrow is Easter, the day we celebrate Jesus raising form the dead.  Doing that He conquered death so that we all may live eternally with Him.

As we prepare to celebrate what Jesus did for us let us take a look at a dozen eggs.  Each one has a symbol with a description and a Bible verses

Egg 1 - small cracker pieces (represent the Last Supper) Mark 14:22

Egg 2 - feather (represents the Rooster) Matt 26:33

Egg 3 - Three silver dimes (30 pieces of silver) Matt 26:14-15

Egg 4 - Thorns (crown of thorns) Mark 15:17 (I used the thorn of a rose stem)

Egg 5 - Nail (nails on the cross) Matt 27:31

Egg 6 - a small metal or paper cross (the cross) John 19:17-18

Egg 7 - Dice (casting lots) John 19:23-24

Egg 8 - Toothpick (spear) John 19:34

Egg 9 - White cloth (linen burial cloth) Matt 27:57-60

Egg 10- Cinnamon Sticks (burial spices) Mark 16:1

Egg 11 - Stone (over the mouth of the tomb) Matt 27:62-65

Egg 12- Empty Egg (the empty tomb) Mark 16:5-6

Dear Lord, we fall on our knees and the thought of what You did for each of us. We pray that we would never forget the way You took each of our sins on Yourself so that we could ask forgiveness and be saved. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Easter is All About Love

John 13:34 (NIV)

A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.

Easter is all about love. Jesus showed His genuine love for us by willingly dying on our behalf on a lonely, abandoned cross. However love cannot be permanently killed, and three days later He was alive again. And the best part is, He offers us the possibility of becoming truly alive for eternity as well!

Love sure makes a difference. Take, for example this story that I read, 

 “Please sir, step aside!”

Utterly confused, I stepped aside as ordered. I had carefully removed any metallic objects from my pockets, and I certainly didn’t like attention riveted on myself in such a high alert security area!

The security agent then took my briefcase that had undergone a thorough x-ray examination, and removed my Swiss Army pocket knife from one of the side pockets. I had purchased that knife in Switzerland three years earlier, I had placed it in that bag about a year ago for a camping trip, and I had completely forgotten it was there!

“Is this yours?” he said chillingly.

I couldn’t deny it. It was truly my own pocket knife.

“You have three choices,” he said. “You can either throw it out, you can mail it back to yourself, or you can put it in storage.”

Unfortunately, there was no post office anywhere nearby! The only way I could mail it back to myself was if there were a self-addressed, stamped envelope hidden in another pocket! That one was completely out of the question! And storage? That would mean going back out into the main airport and having to go through security yet another time!

Now the knife was a nice one, and it served as a wonderful reminder of a previous trip to Switzerland. But was it really worth the trouble? I was about to opt to choice 1, when my wife jumped in with, “You can’t throw that knife away. It’s special to my husband.” She then volunteered to go back into the airport to find a place to store it. Before I could do anything, she was already gone with the knife.

Only one tiny problem: She had no money with her! Hopefully we could pay the storage area when we came back from our trip!

Half an hour later, she passed the security check again. Her smile made her stand out amongst the many passengers that were far from elated about what was awaiting them.

“So?” I asked.

“Storage was 5$ a day. Way too expensive!”

“Then you threw it out.”

“I did better than that!” she laughed. “There is more than one way to solve a problem, especially when you pray!”

She had hid it under the railing of one of the airport elevators, completely out of sight, and sure enough, once we were back from our destination, my Swiss Army knife was still waiting for me!

That is love, my friends, pure unselfish love. My wife didn’t have to go to all that trouble. I was ready to throw the knife out, but she saw it differently. If that knife was important to her husband, than it was worthwhile to take any necessary efforts to secure its existence.

As I read the story I realized just how much God really cares for us! A broken relationship is never ideal, and we humans have done a pretty good job turning our backs on our Maker. Nonetheless, God loved us so tenderly that He couldn’t just sit back and watch us join the ranks of thrown away pocket knives, so He did the impossible: He sacrificed Himself to a horrible death, the death we deserved, in order that we could experience Him again, forever this time!

"Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends." John 15:13

This Easter we also have three options:

1. We can ignore Easter completely.

2. We can toss it in the garbage. This we can do either by being content with chasing after Easter eggs and eating ourselves sick with Easter chocolate Yummm Yummm! . . . Really? Or by simply being indifferent about the reason behind Easter. Who cares about resurrection anyway? We are all going to die! . . . Isn’t that faulty logic?

3. Or we can pursue the real reason behind Easter. If it hadn’t been for Jesus, there never would have been an Easter to celebrate, which means no Easter eggs!

Easter is truly built on pure, undiluted love. Easter bunnies may be tasty, but God’s love is even tastier!

Dear Lord, we thank You for this special day to recognize what You have done for all of us . In Jesus’ Name, Amen.