“At the crack of dawn on Sunday, the women came to the tomb carrying the burial spices they had prepared.  They found the entrance stone rolled back from the tomb, so they walked in.  But once inside, they couldn’t find the body of the Master Jesus.  They were puzzled, wondering what to make of this.  Then, out of nowhere it seemed, two men, light cascading over them stood there.  The women were awestruck and bowed down in worship.  The men said, ’Why are you looking for the Living One in a cemetery?  He is not here, but raised up.  Remember how he told you when you were still back in Galilee that He had to be handed over to sinners, be killed on a cross, and in three days rise up?’ Then they remembered Jesus words.”

This interpretation of Easter from Eugene Peterson’s interpretation of Scripture titled, “The Message,” aptly visualizes for us the reason we celebrate Easter.  Put simply – “Jesus was handed over to sinners, killed on a cross, and rose in three days.”  This was all for a sole purpose – to take the punishment of our sins, so we could one day experience His forgiveness and eternal life with God in Heaven.

Many of you have heard this story for the thousandth time come this Sunday.  For many of you, it’s still new and fresh.  And for some of you, it’s still a story that has yet to grip your life.  But no matter where you are in your spiritual walk, this spring holiday is not just another Friday to get off from work.  It’s not about the pictures with the Easter bunny or the search for bright plastic eggs.  Absolutely without a doubt, it’s not about making it to church on Sunday because the two no-no’s of missing church in America (without a doubt) are Easter and Christmas.   It’s not even about the candy – which incidentally, my favorite candy time of year has to be Easter – those who eat the Cadbury mini-eggs know what I’m talking about.  Although these things are good and well and packed family fun times, there is a moment that we need to get back and realize what the true meaning of this holiday is about. 

It’s about a man.  A man who is God.  A man that was born a baby.  A man who came into this earth with one purpose.  The one purpose of sacrificing Himself because the love He had for us is so overwhelming that He couldn’t bear to think of one of us not having the opportunity to live eternally with Him.  What love!  What sacrifice!   What an amazing portrayal of grace!  The foundation of Christianity stands alone on this grace.  The story of Jesus dying on the cross.  Then again of Him rising from the grave.  Then ascending into Heaven.  Now it’s in our hands.  Faith is what it takes.  Grace is what was given.

For those of you who really want to get back to this story, not just hear the words drone on and on again, but to really hear it-try to really imagine what those women felt-women that realized their Savior had really suffered for them and risen from the tomb.  There are so many ways you can imagine it.  The Bible is one way.  Just rereading the Easter story and meditating on it is a form of communication that will help re-invigorate the meaning behind this holiday. 

If you are a visual person, watching the movie “The Passion” is another way to really see the pain and torture, both physical and spiritual, that Jesus went through on His way to the cross.  Having watched this movie several times, there has not been one instance that goes by, that I do not get chills when the last scene appears and all you see is an empty tomb.  Or if you are a person who needs person to person communication: Talk to your spouse, your best friend, your Sunday school class about what it personally means to you to know the sacrifice that God did for you thousands of years ago. 

And finally, talk to the Man Himself. Talk to your Father.  Thank Him for the sacrifice He made!  The pain He endured!  The love He gave!  The hope He spread!  Thank Him for that day when those two women who went to care for their Master’s body, came away rejoicing because He had indeed risen from the grave and gave them, as well as the rest of us, the true meaning of life.  Eternally with Him!