Easter is the pivotal event and spiritual celebration of the year for Christians.
It’s the time when we mark the crucifixion of Jesus, the time He died to take the penalty for sin on Himself. The time when he set us free by taking our punishment. And we mark not only the death of Jesus but also the resurrection when the stone is rolled away and Jesus rose from the dead triumphing over Satan and death. We have our ultimate victory and it’s not about how good we are or how much we do or how well we behave. It’s all about the Son of God who came for us to set us free. He was separated from God by sin that was not His own. Jesus endures undeserved punishment and separation from God to bring us into an intimate relationship with God. Jesus took on God’s full wrath that was meant for us.
God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.
Ephesians 2:8-9
This Easter was our third as Diaspora.
Our first Easter we attended a sunrise service at the historic UB church in Doon Heritage Crossroads in Kitchener. Beautiful historic feel with lantern light and a wood stove. Intimate, early (sunrise eh?) and powerful. Then to make it truly Canadian, we gathered at Tim Horton’s for refreshments.
Our second Easter celebration including 10 rooms in our home set up as stations of the cross in a prayerful Easter experience called Journey to the Cross. For two evenings, we opened our home and Diaspora as well as our friends came and took part in this experience of Easter. It was a powerful journey indeed. Easter Sunday we had a celebration of the resurrection where Diaspora collaborated to worship and then we had a potluck lunch.
For this our third Easter together, it was a Good Friday Remembrance of Jesus’ sacrifice for us on the cross. We celebrated personalized communion as each of us was served one on one and then prayed for as part of this remembrance of all Jesus did for us. Following the Remembrance, we had a Pancake brunch.
And then on Easter Sunday, came the Resurrection Celebration of Jesus’ defeat of Satan, sin and death. We celebrated! We sang, we read the Scriptures, we laughed, we shared testimonies and explored what Jesus’ sacrifice and resurrection means to each of us personally. It was great!
As I reflect on Easter and the preparations for it, I don’t think we can fully grasp the meaning of the cross to us. Oh, we can point to this or that or a feeling or it showing the size of God’s love. But, really, this side of heaven I don’t think we’ll get it completely.
And it’s probably just as well. What I do understand of the cross is overwhelming. It demonstrates God’s love so much that it takes my words away.
The wrath of God,
the punishment for sin,
the pain Jesus endured,
the love beyond understanding.
Jesus died for each of us.
Each of us.
Thank You Lord!
He is risen.
He is risen indeed.
