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I'm participating in the
Wednesday Quotes link-up hosted by
Marsha at Always Write. This week, often called Holy Week by Christians, we are thinking about inspiring beliefs. Truly there is no belief more inspiring than God becoming human and rising from the dead.
Central to the Christian faith is the belief that God himself came to earth as the man Jesus, who was fully God and fully man, and the fact that Jesus died and then rose from the dead. Jesus was more than a prophet and teacher and good man - he was the Son of God. His coming as a baby and his life and teaching were the fulfillment of Jewish prophecies since Adam and Eve. He became human so that he could take the punishment for our sin and be the perfect sacrifice to represent us before God the Father. His death fulfilled more prophecies, and his resurrection from the dead fulfilled even more! He conquered death so that we don't need to fear it.
Because of Jesus' death and resurrection, I am accepted into God's family. I have been forgiven and made new. I have hope and confidence even when life doesn't go as planned. I know that I am loved and I'm never alone, even when I feel lonely. I have the Holy Spirit to give me strength and courage to live out this faith, even when I make mistakes.
My quotes today are all from the Scriptures.
They went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, "Sit here while I pray." He took Peter, James and John along with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled. "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death," he said to them. "Stay here and keep watch."
Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him. "Abba, Father," he said, "everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will."
Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. "Simon," he said to Peter, "are you asleep? Couldn't you keep watch for one hour? Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak."
~Mark 14:32-38~
"What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called the Messiah?" Pilate asked.
They all answered, "Crucify him!"
"Why? What crime has he committed?" asked Pilate. But they shouted all the louder, "Crucify him!"
When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that instead an uproar was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. "I am innocent of this man's blood," he said. "It is your responsibility!"
All the people answered, "His blood is on us and on our children!"
~Matthew 27:22-25~
I've been struck by that defiant statement by the people who were calling for Jesus to be executed. They didn't know it, but he was choosing to die for exactly that reason - so that his blood would cover their sins!
When they came to the place called The Skull, they crucified him there - along with the two criminals, one on his right, the other on his left. Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.
The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, "He saved others; let him save himself if he is God's Messiah, the Chosen One."
One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: "Aren't you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!"
But the other criminal rebuked him. "Don't you fear God," he said, "since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly; for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong."
Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom."
Jesus answered him, "Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise."
It was now about noon, and darkness came over the land until about three in the afternoon, for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Jesus called out in a loud voice, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." When he had said this, he breathed his last.
The centurion, seeing what had happened, praised God and said, "Surely this was a righteous man."
~Luke 23:33-35; 39-47~
At this point, I'm sure Jesus' followers thought it was all over. They had believed their rabbi was the promised Messiah and they had seen so many miracles, but it sure looked like the authorities and Rome had won. Jesus was dead, and his body was taken down and put in a borrowed tomb. It seems like the disciples went into hiding, and fair enough - they had reason to believe that the accusers would come for them next - but just wait until the third day!
After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.
There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.
The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. then go quickly and tell his disciples: 'He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.' Now I have told you."
So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. "Greetings," he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me."
~Matthew 28:1-10~
On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!" After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.
Again Jesus said, "Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you." And with that he breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit."
~John 20:19-22~
"Fellow Israelites, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. This man was handed over to you by God's deliberate plan and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him.
"God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of it. Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear.
"Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah."
~Acts 2:22-24; 32-33; 36~
God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
~II Corinthians 5:21~
I pray that you are worshiping Jesus Christ, the risen Lord and Saviour, this Holy Week and always. And I pray that if you have not accepted his forgiveness and promise of eternal life yet, that you will be inspired to find out how you can know him. He already knows you and loves you, and wants you to talk to him. I would love to introduce you.
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