He Lives !! An Easter Celebration

He Lives !!   An Easter Celebration

Patricia Ann, Originally posted on Sunday, April 24, 2011 

As Jesus hung on the cross, darkness fell over the land...
Mark 15:33
And when the sixth hour was come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour.
Mark 15:34
And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?"
which is, being interpreted, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?"
 
He was mocked and given vinegar to drink instead of water.
John 19:28, After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled,

saith, I thirst.

John 19:30, When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, "It is finished: and he bowed his head, and

gave up the ghost."
Mark 15:38, And the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom.
Mark15:39, And when the centurion, which stood over against him, saw that he so cried out, and gave up the ghost, he said,
Truly this man was the Son of God!
 
Mary, the mother of Jesus, watched painfully as her son was tortured and crucified. 
We can only imagine the great sorrow she felt. It must have been pure torture for her as well. 
She knew that her son was the Son of God.  She had followed him all the days of His life.  She watched as He was ridiculed, mocked and beaten.  She watched as He was subjected to lies told about Him, but she could do nothing.  She undoubtedly felt helpless, just as we would if we were watching our own children being subjected to unjust punishment and death.  How horrible she must have felt...
 
But at the same time, She knew! 
She knew that her son was the Savior of the world, born to live and born to die and live again.

She waited and watched as He died on the cross, waiting for life to return to His dead body. 
It didn't happen right away.  
And she mourned!
 
It did happen... on the third day:

Early on Sunday morning, as the new day was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went out to visit the tomb.
Suddenly there was a great earthquake! For an angel of the Lord came down from heaven, rolled aside the stone, and sat on it. His face shone like lightning, and his clothing was as white as snow.
The guards shook with fear when they saw him, and they fell into a dead faint.
 

Then the angel spoke to the women.
 "Don't be afraid!" he said. "I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified.
 He isn't here!  He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen.
 Come, see where his body was lying.
 And now, go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead..."
 - (Matthew 28:1-7, NLT)
 
Jesus was the Father’s promise of hope for mankind.
When He died and was then buried, creation was shocked and His disciples were devastated.
But God raised Jesus to new life.
What seemed to be the end was actually only the beginning.
 
With Jesus Christ as our Savior all things are made new. We are new creations.
We have new beginnings, new hope and new life with an assurance of everlasting life with Our Father in Heaven!
 
Christ ascended to prepare a place for those who believe in Him in heaven.
Jesus is our forerunner.
This gives us the certainty of everlasting life!
 
John 14:2-3 -- "In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am."
 
Christ ascended to Intercede for us before the Father.
 
1 John 2:1-2 -- My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have One who speaks to the Father in our defense -- Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.
 
Jesus Christ is our Savior, sitting at the right hand of God and watching over each of us every day. He hears our prayers, knows our emotions and our hearts. 
 
If you don't know Him, come to Him - call His name and allow Him access to your heart. 
He gave up His life for each of us so that we would have the chance to live eternally with Him in Heaven.  
 
What and awesome love He has to offer!!
He is risen and I praise His Holy name!!
 
Blessings to you all this Easter day and prayers for all to come to know Jesus as the Lord and Savior that He is!  Amen