Brookfield7: A blessed Good Friday & Easter to you

APRIL 22, 2011

Though the word Easter and even some non-religious Easter Bunny themed events have come under attack by the P.C. crowd this year, Good Friday through Easter or Resurrection Sunday still mark the most important 3 days of the year for a Christian. It is during this time that we remember the crucifixion, sacrificial death, and burial of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and then celebrate His resurrection on Sunday.

Most Christians tend to make a big deal of His birthday, Christmas, and also His resurrection, Easter. These 2 days tend to be the more heavily attended church days of the year.

But in my Wednesday night Bible study class, my teacher recently mentioned that the Jesus never instructed us to remember His birthday, or even His resurrection day, but He does instruct His followers to remember His death. At the Last Supper He says, This do in remembrance of me. (Luke 22:19)

I admit I had never really thought about that before. There is nothing wrong with remembering or celebrating His birthday or resurrection day, but we are instructed to remember His sacrifice for our sins on the cross with the Lord's Supper. In 1 Corinthians 11, Jesus' followers are told, For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.

The words of the song Oh To See the Dawn by Keith Getty and Stuart Townend sum relay why we remember this day.

"Oh, to see the dawn of the darkest day; Christ on the road to Calvary; Tried by sinful men, Torn and beaten then, nailed to a cross of wood."

Refrain: "This the power of the cross; Christ became sin for us; Took the blame, bore the wrath, we stand forgiven at the cross."

The song goes on to talk about the weight of our sins upon Him from every "bitter thought" and "evil deed" we have done, and how the ground shook and the curtain in the temple tore in two, ending the separation between God and man, when He cried it is "finished" and died. Then comes my favorite part when I am singing this hymn,

"Oh, to see my name, written in the wounds, For through Your suffering I am free. Death is crushed to death, life is mine to live, Won through Your selfless love!"

Final Refrain: "This the power of the cross; Son of God, slain for us. What a love, what a cost, we stand forgiven at the cross."

If do not have a church home, may I extend an invitation to mine, Brookside Baptist Church in Brookfield. They will present their Easter musical, No Greater Love, at 7pm on Friday and 5pm on Saturday. Easter Sunday services are at 8am, 9:30am, and 11am.