The Answer Is Easter Series

THE ANSWER IS EASTER

A School teacher asked her class on the Sunday before Easter if they knew what happened on Easter and why it was so important. One little girl spoke up saying: "Easter is when the whole family gets together, and you eat turkey and sing about the pilgrims and all that." "No, that’s not it," said the teacher. "I know what Easter is," a second student responded. "Easter is when you get a tree and decorate it and give gifts to everybody and sing lots of songs." "Nope, that’s not it either," replied the teacher. Finally a third student spoke up, "Easter is when Jesus was killed, and put in a tomb and left for three days." "Ah, thank goodness somebody knows" the teacher thought to herself. But then the student went on: "Then everybody gathers at the tomb and waits to see if Jesus comes out, and if he sees his shadow he has to go back inside and we have six more weeks of winter." Some of us have some strange ideas about Easter. What does the Bible have to say about it? What is Easter really all about?

1 Peter 2:21-25 To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. 22 He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth. 23 When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. 24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed. 25 For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

What is Easter all about? Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection happened over three days. Friday was the day of pain and suffering and agony. Saturday was the day of loss and grief and confusion. Sunday was the day of joy, celebration and victory.

So let’s look this morning at the three days – His death, burial and resurrection as a model for how you can go through the toughest days of your life.

1. The Day of Pain – people and presence of God

We begin with the day of pain. Friday was the day of pain. First he experienced physical pain. The Bible tells us that he was beaten. He was beaten, had thorns stuck into his skull and He was scourged. If you have seen the movie The Passion of the Christ you understand that scourging is different than just a whipping. The bits of bone and sharp metal would tear at your back to pieces. Even before the cross He was almost dead, to the extent he could not even carry his own cross. Then He was crucified. Crucifixion is death by suffocation. That’s why they would often break the bones of your legs so you couldn’t stand up anymore and you couldn’t breathe anymore.

Jesus experienced the ultimate in physical pain. But he also experienced emotional pain. Crucifixion was a humiliating death. You were stripped naked and then left to die while everyone watched. People were hurling insults. Those He loved had run away. Peter had disowned Him. Judas had betrayed Him.

But then there was still another level of pain that none of us have ever experienced to his degree. That is spiritual pain. On the cross Jesus took on the sins of mankind. Every ugly, evil crime and sin throughout history, all that guilt on him. He went through the hell of separation from God when he cries out on the cross “My God! My God! Why have you forsaken me?”

One thing you can be certain about Jesus is this: He understands pain. He understands every pain you and I go through and he sympathizes with it. So what do you do in your days of pain? You do the two things that Jesus did just before He died.

Number one, you lean on the People of God. To prepare Himself for the cross, that is what He did. Knowing the pain of His arrest, torture and execution, He gathered his closest friends together and said, I need you guys to just hang out with me. He did not need a sermon or speech or advice. He just wanted His friends to be with Him.

Matthew 26:36-38 Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, "Sit here while I go over there and pray." 37 He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. 38 Then he said to them, "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me."