The Only Way

"Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, 'Rulers of the people and elders, if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled man, by what means this man has been healed,  let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by Him this man is standing before you well. This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.'"
~Acts 4:8-12

I love Christmas because I can celebrate the birth of my Savior, but Easter is my favorite celebration. While Christmas has the tree, lights and decorations that make it pretty, Easter is the reason my heart soars. The birth of Jesus was a miracle but God is in the miracle business, Easter on the other hand, encompasses so much more. It's dirty, gritty, horrific, born out of human depravity, greed, jealousy and resentment. But out of that came a miracle like no other. One that continues to this day.

Jesus suffering Judas' betrayal in the garden, His arrest, interrogation, ridicule, beatings, rejection by the people, and being nailed to the Cross is unimaginable to me. Not that I don't think humans are capable of such dispicable acts but that Jesus would actually put Himself through it all so that I could have everlasting life is unimaginable. John 13:15 tells us there is no greater love than someone laying down their life for a friend. And Jesus has called us "friend."

"No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you (John 15:15)."

The importance of the Cross cannot be stressed enough. It is the very foundation for why Christians believe what we believe. It is our hope of salvation here on Earth and our eternal hope of everlasting life. It is not an earthly hope that maybe things will turn out okay, but rather the surity of our place, our standing with Christ every day. Our hope is utter confidence that what God has said is absolute fact. 

"Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ (1 Peter 1:13)."

As you gather with family and friends, remember the reason for this season is the resurrected Christ. Remember how He laid down His life just for you. Remember His great sacrifice for your soul. And remember His great, unconditional love for you. He's still calling out to each of us, "Come and follow Me."

"But the angel said to the women, 'Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for He has risen, as He said. Come, see the place where he lay' (Matthew 28:5-6)."

Read Joshua 20-21
1 Chronicles 6:54-81

Weekend reading
Joshua 22-24
Judges 1-3

A Year of Blessings by Marie McGaha ©2018