. . . I don't claim that I know everything about life. But one thing I am certain that apart from the love and mercies of Christ—I AM NOTHING. " But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world."(Galatians 6:14). All to JESUS I surrender. . .all to Thee my Blessed Savior. . .I surrender all. Thank YOU my Precious LORD JESUS for all Your blessings in my life. I love YOU, and thank YOU for loving me first. Forever Yours--Erlinda Mejia Olson

Wednesday, April 22, 2015

The True Meaning of Easter

By: Dr. Ted Camp
(Founder of the Silent Word Ministries specializing in Deaf Ministry)

The True Meaning of Easter - There are many religions but only Christianity has a Risen Saviour.  No other religion gives eternal hope for life after death.  Easter represents the death, burial, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.  Jesus Christ died alone on the cross to become the last sacrifice for sin.  There is a song, “He could have called ten thousand angels, but He died alone for you and me.”  On the cross Jesus Christ alone became the final sacrifice for sin.  God only had two options in dealing with fallen humanity.  He could let justice prevail and just ignore mankind, or He could provide a sinless substitute to pay the penalty for Adam’s sin (Deuteronomy 17:1) The only solution was to send His beloved son as the Perfect God-Man, as the sinless sacrifice and substitute for the sin of man (John 3:16).  Through Adam, all inherit the curse of sin.  Through Jesus Christ, the curse of sin is removed (Romans 5:12-17).  Jesus was the sacrifice for sin and substitute for the sinner.  He alone was the Perfect Lamb of God to take away the sin of the world (John 1:29).  “So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many…” (Hebrews 9:28).  As He died, He cried, “It is finished!”  The last sacrifice for sin was made.  “There is no more offering for sin” (Hebrews 10:18).  Many thousands of lambs were offered for past atonement of sin, but when Jesus died, the sacrifices ceased.  Jesus Christ was the final sacrifice for our sin.  In the tomb, He was the substitute for our death, and the resurrection validated Him as the Risen Saviour.  He then ascended to His rightful place in Heaven at the right hand of God.  He sat down and could say, “The will of God has been done! It is finished!”  Because of Easter, all can now be saved.  “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:13).  Jesus alone paid the penalty for Adam’s sin (1 Corinthians 15:22).  His sacrifice restored mankind again to God.

The Sonrise Service – The Day “Him” became “It” and  “It” became “Him”.  Notice in the Gospels, before death, Jesus was referred to as “Him”, they bound Him, led Him, delivered Him, betrayed Him, examined Him, stripped Him, clothed Him, saluted Him, smote Him, worshipped Him, mocked Him, spit upon Him, smote Him, chastised Him, scourged Him, unclothed Him, and crucified Him.  Pilate said, “I will…chastise Him, and release Him.”  They led Him…to crucify Him, followed Him, offered Him vinegar, gave Him to drink, and finally crucified Him.  Before death, He was referred to as “Him.”  After death, His body was referred to as “It”.  And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth and laid it in his own new tomb” (Matthew 27:59-60).  “Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes” (John 19:40).  He “begged the body of Jesus.  And took it down, and wrapped it in linen and laid it in a sepulcher” (Luke 23:52-53).  After death, His body was referred to as “It” not “Him”.  But after the resurrection, “It” (His body) became “Him” again!  The angel said, “He is risen; He is not here…tell Hid disciples and Peter that He goeth before you into Galilee: there shall ye see Him (not “It”).  “Tell his disciples and Peter that he goeth…into Galilee: there ye shall see “Him(Mark 16:7).  On Friday, He died; “Him” became “It”.  On Sunday, He arose; “It” became “Him”  After His resurrection (pardon my grammar), “Him” got back to “It” and “It” became “Him” again.  If “Him” had not become “It” and “It” had not become “Him”, our hope and faith would have been in vain.  “But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain…And if Christ be not raised, your faith in vain; ye are yet in your sins” (1 Corinthians 15:13-17).  No one is saved without the resurrection.  “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved” (Romans 10:9).  The resurrection validated and confirmed that Jesus Christ is the Risen Saviour, the Son of God.

The resurrection was God’s “Amen” to Christ saying, “It is finished!”  Because He lives, we also shall live! (1 Thessalonians 5:10).

Only Christianity has a Risen Saviour!  “Him” never became “It” again.

He is Risen.  He is Risen indeed! 
"He is not here; for He is risen, as He said." (Matthew 28:6a)