This week’s devotions are based on this week’s message: Shadows: A Glimpse of a Savior! (WATCH HERE)
Just a week ago, we marked Good Friday, the day we remember the suffering and death of Jesus on the cross. This Friday…it’s just another day.
Or is it?
Maybe we have moved on, but I’m curious what the disciples were doing that first Friday after Jesus’ resurrection. We don’t know exactly, but the fact that on resurrection evening, the disciples were locked in a room for fear of the Jews and the next Sunday they were still locked in a room for fear of the Jews…my guess is they weren’t doing a whole lot but sticking together in a safe room because there was still great tension in the streets of Jerusalem against Christ and his followers. We know the events of Good Friday spread quickly as the Emmaus Disciples in Luke 24 were surprised Jesus “didn’t know” about what happened…since it seemed like EVERYONE knew. However, there is maybe a difference with the resurrection.
Remember the guards at the tomb?
They witnessed the resurrection of Jesus firsthand. But the leaders DID not want the message of Jesus’ resurrection to spread like his crucifixion.
Matthew 28:11 While the women were on their way, some of the guards went into the city and reported to the chief priests everything that had happened. 12 When the chief priests had met with the elders and devised a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money, 13 telling them, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep.’ 14 If this report gets to the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” 15 So the soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story has been widely circulated among the Jews to this very day.
The leaders wanted ALL to know the criminal that Jesus was and that he was worthy of crucifixion. But they wanted no one to know that Jesus was alive…despite all the evidence to the contrary.
Matthew wrote his Gospel about 20 years after Jesus’ resurrection and added the comment… “This story has been widely circulated among the Jews to this very day.” The reality was Jesus was alive, but Satan was going to work hard to make sure people didn’t know.
It still happens today. The reality of Jesus’ resurrection can be clouded over by the lies of Satan. He was defeated on the cross and trounced by Jesus’ resurrection…but he continues to find ways to get our focus off of the reality of Jesus’ resurrection.
Perhaps it’s easy to point to the secular aspects of the Easter bunny and eggs detracting from the real meaning of Easter. Perhaps we can point to the recent “Transgender Day of Visibility” being pronounced louder on March 31 than Easter Sunday. We can see many businesses open as usual on Easter Sunday, and more.
But what about us?
Perhaps like me, I have no question about the bodily resurrection of Jesus. Where I, and maybe you, struggle is living that reality every day. Life gets busy with work, sports, kids, yardwork, vacations, and more. All of these are good things, but what can happen is they push out time for the most important thing…to let Easter continue to affect our hearts and lives…each day.
As we’ve mentioned, Easter is very personal. Perhaps where it became personal was at our baptisms. The Apostle Paul was inspired to write:
Romans 6:5 If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. 6 For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— 7 because anyone who has died has been freed from sin.
8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9 For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. 10 The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.
11 In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.
So, let’s not let the reality and truth of Jesus death and resurrection fade in the background or be clouded by the lies of Satan or the business of life. Rather, let’s live in the joy of knowing Jesus lived, died and rose again for me! And with that reality in history and in my heart, each day is a real Easter to celebrate!
Apply: What challenges you to keep the reality of Easter at the forefront of your heart and mind each day? Perhaps try for the next week to ask, “Jesus lives for me! What difference will that make today?
Prayer: Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for your death and resurrection. Help me to never forget it, believe Satan’s lies about it, or fail to live it. Forgive me when I do. Restore your resurrection to the forefront of my mind each and every day! AMEN.