Last week, things were generally quieter so that we could reflect on the significance of the suffering and death of Christ on the Cross. There were viewings of the movie The Passion of the Christ that helped many of us get a closer glimpse of the burden and suffering that Jesus underwent for us. There was also the Passion Experience setup which helped many of us to see our own role in putting Jesus on that cross where he bled and died.

The Cross of Christ

On Good Friday, we talked about the radical love with which Jesus loved us. On the cross, he said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” We find this astounding, but at the same time this is the very thing that we need. When we sin or hurt, we do not know the extent to which the ripples of our actions harmfully affects those around us, and often in our blindness and rage and selfishness we are blind to the consequences of our actions. But Jesus intercedes for us and pleads that we be pardoned for the ignorance of our sinfulness. But do we acknowledge our own faults and sins, and do we confess it to God? Forgiveness is offered to us for the taking, and all we have to do is acknowledge it and confess our sins. God graciously forgives.

The tomb is empty! Hallelujah!

Easter Sunday was upbeat. It’s time to celebrate! Because Jesus is risen, we have the basis to trust on everything that he said as truth that we can rely on. Jesus has gone to Heaven to “prepare a room for us”. We explored Heaven as a place where we find everything high, noble, laudable, and praiseworthy! Pastor Ed asserted that the joy of Easter Sunday is that much more enhanced after one has gone through the pain of Good Friday. It is the joy of having no more pain. Perhaps the pains and sufferings that we experience in Christian life today make our future joys that much more meaningful, and thus more bearable today.

Pastor Ed enthusiastically explaining the joys of Heaven on Easter Sunday!

“Beauty, majesty, glory, love, splendor, forever! Love demands an eternity. Where else do these ideas come together except in the Gospel of our Lord! We know that we are made for something transcendent. Jesus’s resurrection gives meaning and hope to the highest things in our lives!” – Pastor Ed