Easter: a setting sun will always rise

Don’t we love it? The bank holidays. The big chocolate eggs, the bunny décor and the newness of spring. The family time, the peace and the hope of sunshine. Isn’t it lovely?  Yet, with the secularisation of society, we seem to forget why we have Easter. Why is it called ‘Good Friday’? What is so important about this ‘Easter Sunday’? Well, here at Hosea Clothing we thought it would be good to serve you a reminder of why we observe this holiday.

So God in love, after the sin of Adam and Eve, through the prophets, told the people that there was a Saviour coming to restore them. The prophet Isaiah put it this way (Isaiah 9:6) “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulder, and His name shall be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Their Saviour would not just be any human, but also fully God. Whose governance is eternal, who was and is and forever is to come. This is where we get back to our Christmas story. The eternal God, Jesus the Son, became flesh and grew up and dwelt amongst the same people He created and would indeed save.  

Easter starts with the last week of Jesus’ life. It begins with His triumphant entry to Jerusalem, where He, being the humble king He is, He rode in on the back of a donkey. That is probably not what they were expecting but they recognised who He was because they cried aloud to Him ‘Hosanna’, ‘Hosanna in the highest’. Now if you grew up in church, you might safely assume that hosanna might be synonymous with the word praise or its meaning being praise. However, the word’s meaning is more along the lines of a plea for salvation, or for short save us. So, their cry was accurate for the one they were meeting. In this moment, they recognised Jesus for the very purpose He came to earth for and later He would indeed fulfil.

Another key focus in the last days of Jesus’ life is the last meal He has with His disciples. He tells the disciples that His death was soon approaching. He also reveals a secret. A big secret. That it was one of the 12 disciples, Judas Iscariot, who had walked closely with Him for the past couple of years, would be the betrayer. He then institutes the communion we all know today. He takes the bread, and gives thanks, and passes it around the table. This would symbolise His body that would be killed in that week. Eating of it, joins you with His body, that being Him and His church. Then He takes a cup, and shares this with them. Telling them that it is His blood poured out for many. This would be a fulfilment of the sacrifices Israel were once subject to. As Leviticus 17:11 makes known that the blood of the animals sacrificed was for their atonement. Soon the disciple’s and our sins would be atoned for purely by the blood shed by Christ.

After this last meal is where we get to one of the most vulnerable human moments of Jesus’ life. Jesus takes only three of the twelve with Him to the Garden of Gethsemane. He tells the three to watch and pray, He then goes deeper into the garden to pray. His disciples fall asleep but whilst they do, Jesus prays these deeply vulnerable words. “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” (Matthew 26:39). As Jesus described just before, He is deeply grieved, we see that so clearly here. He did not desire the fate He was subjected to; He deeply felt the pain of what was to come. Yet, He ends His prayer with submission to His father’s will. He teaches us here that even when we are deeply grieved, we are to submit to God’s will no matter what. Our lives are to be lived in submission to God. Jesus loved God and his people so much that his love outweighed the pain and grief in that moment.

Jesus returning to the 3 a third time, lets them know that the hour has come for Him to be turned over. At that time, Judas with a band of men (including the chief priests and the elders) with swords and clubs come to seize Jesus. Judas greets Jesus with a kiss to signal to the soldiers that this is the one to seize. Jesus is then taken to be tried before the Sanhedrin (the Jewish council). It is at this point the scripture was fulfilled that “they would strike the shepherd, and the sheep would be scattered,” as the disciples then left Jesus and fled for safety. Jesus is then accused with various claims. As Jesus proclaimed His status as God, they accused Him then of blasphemy even though He was who He said He was. They brought Him to the judge of the land, Pilate. He is there officially tried as a criminal. Although Pilate finds no judicial fault in Christ, Pilate gives the choice to the crowd. They had a custom where they could release a prisoner or release the person on trial. Jesus was put against a convicted murder named Barabas. The chief priests had stirred up so much hate in the people’s hearts that they exclaimed that the innocent Son of God were to be crucified, and a convicted murderer was to roam again freely. Jesus is then handed over to be crucified. He was mocked and spit upon. They taunted him with names such as “King of the Jews,” they stripped Him of his dignity. They took his clothes and casted lots for them, again fulfilling a scriptural prophecy. They truly rejoiced in mocking Him, not knowing who they were crucifying.

Jesus, after being whipped and beaten, was too weak to carry His own cross. So, they got a man of Cyrene, Simon, to carry Jesus’ cross. He was then hung on that said cross. On the day we now call ‘Good Friday’. The crowd continue in mocking Him and despising Him. However, Jesus did not speak harshly to them. He instead asked His Father to forgive the crowd for they didn’t know what they were doing. He remained compassionate towards them, for He was dying for them. He still loved them despised their mocking. Just as He still loves us when we, like that crowd, do not give Him our true surrender, affection, and reverence. A couple hours later, darkness covers the land. Jesus cries out “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” This meaning “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?” It illustrates the deep pain that Jesus was feeling in that moment but also it was Him fulfilling the 22nd Psalm that reflects His story. It is after this, that the Son of Man, cried aloud and breathed his last breath. Jesus had died.

At this moment, the earth shook. The veil in the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. The separation between God and man was restored. The old covenant had been fulfilled. All sin, In Jesus’ moments on the cross, was poured out and laid on Him. The perfect Lamb has atoned for all grievances made against the law. The sight was so great that even a Centurion (roman army leader) had to confess that Jesus must’ve been the Son of God. Yet, here it feels almost as a defeat. The promised Messiah is dead, just like the prophets that had gone on before Him. He is laid in Joseph of Arimathea’s tomb just as the scriptures foretold. His lifeless body carried away to remain in a tomb. The tomb was then sealed with a heavy stone and two guards were put in front of it.

Three days and three nights later, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary go to visit the tomb. At this time, there is an earthquake! This time, it is due to an angel of the Lord leaving heaven and descending upon earth. The angel petrified the guards, they trembled with fear. The angel then rolling the stone, reveals an empty tomb. The angel of the Lord tells the women when they find the tomb empty, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for He has risen, as He said. Come, see the place where He lay. Then go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead, and behold, He is going before you to Galilee; there you will see Him. See, I have told you.” (Matthew 28:5-7) Jesus, the Lamb that was just slain had resurrected. Jesus didn’t just fulfil the old covenant, but He overcame death and the boast of the grave. He proved that sin and death was once and for all conquered and no longer had power of His mortal body. Now by accepting Him, we can overcome sin and spiritual death and one day we will overcome the physical death of our mortal bodies and be united with Him forever.

Jesus spent 40 days on earth after His resurrection. He met up with his disciples, restoring them after they had scattered and had returned to their old lives. He gave them one last commission, known as the great commission, telling them to Go into all the world to preach the Gospel, making disciples of all the nations and baptising them in the name of the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit. He also promised them a helper, which they would later receive on the day of Pentecost. This helper was the Holy Spirit, the same one that empowered Jesus. The same power that raised Him from the dead was made available to them and to us. Jesus after promising them this ascended back to Heaven, to the right hand of His Father, concluding this Easter Story.

Well, that was a lot of information! I know that can seem overbearing back-to-back listed like that but as we partake in these celebrations: Communion, Good Friday, Easter Sunday. Let us remember this story. The gory and gruesome death of our Saviour and the resurrection of Him. That we have died to sin, therefore, we will join Him in life eternal. One day, He is coming back for us. He will make all things new. As we enjoy this weekend, let us marvel in that hope. Let us live in the light of that hope. Let us just as he commissioned the disciples, take up that mission and give this amazing Gospel to others. Let us this Easter, declare the meaning and the significance to those who just see it as another holiday on the calendar!

Scriptural References:

Genesis 1-3, Isaiah 9:6, Leviticus 17:11, Matthew 21-28, Acts 1