The Reason We Celebrate

Verse of the Day: John 10:28-30, And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. 30 I and My Father are one.”

Today we celebrate the reason for, and foundation of, our faith! The resurrection of our Risen Lord! The message is a simple one. We are all born with a sinful nature because of Adam’s disobedience in the Garden. Romans 5:12 tells us, “Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned.” Today, there are many who are no different than Adam and Eve were in trying to cover their own sin. In Genesis 3:6-7 we read, “So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings.” Their attempts to cover up and make right what they did wrong was not enough before God. As a result, God had to make the first sacrifice to cover them in Genesis 3:21 where we read, “Also for Adam and his wife the LORD God made tunics of skin, and clothed them.” Since that time man has tried everything within his power to come up with the right formula, the right rituals, the right religion, to satisfy the payment owed to God for man’s sins. However, all attempts have fallen short. Some would rationalize that if we do more good than bad, somehow the good will cancel out the bad. Others have proclaimed that performing certain rituals in a certain manner will gain us forgiveness and give us eternal life. As a matter of fact, man has invented gods that they can manipulate, so that in their manipulation they can guarantee for themselves eternal life. Well, the sad and tragic truth is that none of it is acceptable to the one true God. God has made it clear that there is none that is righteous, because we all have sinned and come short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). Because we have all sinned, we are all condemned to eternal death. Romans 6:23 tells us that the wages of sin is death. Isaiah goes on to tell us that all our works of righteousness are as filthy rags before God, in chapter 64, verse 6. How hopeless can this situation get? If there is nothing that we can do to satisfy God, then what hope do any of us have? This is where the love of God shines through with blinding brightness, for we are told in Romans 6:23, the other part of that verse, that the gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ! John 3:16-17 tell us, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” That my friends is the Good News of the Gospel! Jesus Christ, the perfect Son of God, came to earth, born of a virgin, to lay down His life for us. As if that were not enough, the Word of God tells us that Jesus now offers this gift of eternal life freely; not because of what we have done or who we are, but because of who He is and what He did on Calvary. Titus 3:4-7 states it best, “But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, 5 not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” Today is a day of celebration for those of us who have accepted this free, and undeserved, gift! However, let us not be selfish in our celebration. Today is a great opportunity to not only wish someone a Happy Easter or Happy Resurrection Day, but it is an opportunity to tell them why it is a truly happy occasion! As we celebrate, let us make the most of that celebration by sharing the Reason we can celebrate. That Reason is our Risen Savior! Glory to our God and King who defeated death and the grave, and in whom we too have the victory!

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).