The New Covenant
During Easter, I think about I Corinthians 11:24-26 “and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” In the same manner, He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.” Every Easter at my church, we will celebrate the Lord’s Super. Normally this passage of scripture is read. I love the New Covenant that Jesus made with all people. Before Jesus’ death and resurrection, only the Jews had a covenant with God. I am so thankful that now everyone is able to share in the covenant with God particularly because I am gentile. Before Jesus, gentiles had no hope. Now all people can put their hope in Jesus because of the New Covenant.
Jesus is Victorious
On Easter Morning, Jesus rose from the dead. I Corinthians 15:54-57 says, “… “Death is swallowed up in victory.” “O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?” The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Thanks be to God I do not have to fear death. The fear of death is sin. Jesus took away the power that sin had over us when he did and rose again. Now it does not matter what anyone says or does to me, I have victory over everything through Jesus.
About 4 years age my ex-step dad was always threatening to blow the house to kingdom come because my mom and I was late getting home from church. After reading this scripture, it occurred to me that if he carried through on his threat, I would go straight to heaven because I have put my trust in Jesus. Therefore, I should not be afraid of dying. Jesus has already concurred death.
God Loves the World
John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Jesus rose again on Easter morning. That is my guarantee that the promise of everlasting life is true. Only someone who defeated death can fulfill such a promise. Therefore, I can be confident that as long as my trust is in him, I will not perish. I can also be confident that God really loves me. I have a son and in my human capacity, I could not give him up for anyone. Therefore, I know that God really loves me. He was willing to give up his son for 3 days so that I could be saved.
Healing
Every time I think about Easter, I cannot help but remember the pain and suffering that Jesus endured. I Peter 2:24 says, “who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness-by whose stripes you were healed.” Just to think that someone loves me so much that he would endure a beating so that I could be healed. He had to die to be resurrected, but he did not have to be beat. He could have chosen no to endure the beating before he died. However, I would not have the added blessing of healing.
Because Jesus endured the beating, I was able to go to Jesus and ask for healing for my husband. My husband is a construction worker. One day he came home with severe muscle pain in his shoulder. Because our trust is in Jesus, we were able to ask Jesus to heal the muscle. Because Jesus’ promises are true, my husband has not had any more problems with his shoulder. Sometimes Jesus gives doctors the knowledge to solve problems and other times he supernaturally solves the problem. This time he just healed the shoulder.
Determination
Lastly, I think about Mary Magdalene. She went to the tomb early on resurrection morning. She discovered that Jesus was not there. She then told the other disciples. They came and saw that the stone had been rolled away and then left. She stays behind. As she was weeping, ” she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. Then they said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.” Now when she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” She, supposing Him to be the gardener, said to Him, “Sir, if You have carried Him away, tell me where You have laid Him, and I will take Him away.” Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to Him, “Rabboni!” (which is to say, Teacher).” (John 20:12-16). Unlike the men, she was determined to find Jesus. They went back home to hide, but she asked everyone she saw “where have you taken him?” At this time, she did not know that he was alive. She only knew that she had to find him.
I think about her and her determination. It did not matter to her that some people believed that he deserved death, nor did it matter that there was still people that hated anyone who closely followed Jesus. The other disciples were afraid that people would remember that they were closely associated with Jesus. We should all have the determination that Mary had. She stood by her friend even though she thought he was dead. He rewarded her determination by coming to her and talking to her. O joy, she must have felt to know that he was alive and was concerned about her tears.