This is Easter Weekend; today specifically is Good Friday, with Sunday being the celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. When I was very young, maybe 4 or 5 years old, it was hard to understand why they called it ‘Good Friday’. After all, what was so good about someone being beaten so badly and then hung on a Cross to die. Of course, as I grew up and learned more about the Bible and God’s love for us, it made a whole lot more sense. So, let’s begin.

God’s Everlasting love for us moved Him to have compassion on His prize creation who were separated from Him by their sin nature. So, He devised a plan to send a Savior who would take the punishment for all our sins. His Son was the only one who could qualify for this mission. The sacrifice must be unblemished and perfect in every way and Jesus being conceived by the Holy Spirit, did NOT have the sin nature as the rest of us. He willingly came to this earth to do His Father’s will to redeem the human race; that means everyone! He wore the crown of thorns as they mocked him; took the lashes with the whip on his back; and then was nailed to a cross to die a death of a sinner. However, Second Corinthians 5:21 clearly states that there was no sin in him (Jesus) – that God made him to be sin – that in him we might become the righteousness of God. Jesus willingly died the sinner’s death in our place. That was God’s plan to reconcile the world back to himself and not count people’s sins against them. That is the redemption that’s offered to mankind.

We only have to Accept His gift of Salvation by receiving Jesus as our Savior. Jesus told Nicodemus that no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again (John 3:3). Romans 10:9-10 gives us the instructions on how to accept Jesus as our Savior. We are to believe in our heart and confess with our mouth by faith that God raised him (Jesus) from the dead, and we will be Saved. It’s that simple. Have you made that decision and confession? If not, this is the perfect time to do so. It will make this Easter celebration more meaningful for you, because Easter is more that hunting eggs and chocolate bunny candies. Easter is all about your eternal destination – either hell or heaven.

Psalm 145:13 informs us that the Lord is Trustworthy in all he promises and faithful in all he does. When we trust the Lord with our heart and submit our ways to Him, He will make our paths straight (Proverbs 3:5-6). This doesn’t mean that our lives will not ever encounter stressful moments or situations but it does mean that we can depend on God to bring good from every situation if we keep our focus on Him, His promises, and His goodness (Romans 8:28). We learn from Psalm 9:10 and Hebrews 13:5 that the Lord never forsakes those who seek him. We can trust in His unfailing love and rejoice in this season of celebration that in Jesus we have Eternal Life.

This Eternal Life is life with the Father and Jesus that continues indefinitely without end. According to Matthew 25:46, there is an eternal punishment and an eternal life. With Jesus there is eternal life – but without Jesus there is eternal punishment. It’s that simple. This is not to condemn anyone because God stated in John 3:16-17 that He sent His Son (Jesus) to die for the world to save us and not to condemn us. The Lord does not want anyone to perish (2 Peter 3:9). This eternal life begins when we accept Jesus as Savior.

Understand that as children of God we are heirs of His Kingdom, and join heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17). We begin to Reign in this life with the authority that Jesus has given us in His Name, and will continue throughout all eternity. God promises in Revelation 5:10 that since He has made us to be a kingdom of royal subjects and priests to our God, that we will reign on earth. But to reign correctly, we must know the Word of God and have a revelation of who we are in Christ.

So, I encourage you to make a quality decision this day to walk in the light of the truth of His Word so you will live a victorious life, and that others will see and be drawn to God for His Salvation in Jesus Christ.  Happy Easter or perhaps a better way to say it – Happy Resurrection Day!