Yesterday, a greater number of Americans participated in church services than at any other time throughout the year, with the exception of Christmas. Many articles have been published discussing the reasons Easter is one of the peak seasons for churches in the United States and worldwide. I frequently reflect on how different our lives might be if we approached each day as though it were Easter.
Early in the morning, before dawn, Mary Magdalene made her way to the tomb. Upon her arrival, she found that the stone had rolled away. Confused and fearful, she entered the tomb and encountered two men dressed in shining garments. Overcome with fear, she saw one angel positioned at the head and the other at the feet of where Jesus had been laid. Mary was in tears. The angel asked her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She responded, “Because they have taken my Lord away, and I do not know where they have placed Him.” Many of us today believe that God sends angels to assist and protect us, as indicated in scripture, which suggests that we may unknowingly entertain angels, much like when the two angels visited Lot before the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. God uses Angels to minister to us.
When Mary turned around, she saw a man standing there whom she did not recognize; she assumed he was the gardener. She pleaded, “Sir, please tell me where they have taken the body of Yeshua.” I can only imagine the love in His eyes as He said, “Mary,” and in that moment, she recognized Him in her heart as Jesus. She replied in Hebrew, “Rabboni, which means teacher/master”. He instructed her not to cling to Him, for He still needed to ascend to His Father. “I am ascending to my Father, and your Father, to my God and your God.” She then returned to the disciples to proclaim, “I have seen the Lord,” sharing with them that he had said to her, but they did not believe at first.
During this period, Jesus would visit his disciples in secret, as they concealed themselves from the Romans and, more significantly, from the Pharisees, their spiritual leaders and Rabbis, fearing for their lives. He would appear among them, revealing the wounds on his hands and feet, as well as the deep wound in his side. The disciples rejoiced at this sight! Just as we celebrate on Easter, we recognize that death could not contain him; he was resurrected, offering us the precious gift of eternal life if we believe in him, the Son of God. I can only imagine the joy that filled their hearts, as they must have leaped with happiness, praising God for raising his Son. The transition from utter despair to immense joy must have been overwhelming, reminding them of Jesus’ earlier words. In John 16:20, he states, “Very truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy.”
Prior to the tomb, God had already arranged for a path to it for His son, Jesus. Two Pharisees, Joseph and Nicodemus, who were faithful Jews and secretly followed Christ, sought authorization from Pontius Pilate to retrieve the body of Jesus. Their intention was to lay Him to rest in Joseph’s tomb, ensuring that He received a dignified burial instead of being cast aside with the unrighteous in a communal grave. Does not our God inspire hearts to act righteously and to glorify His Son, who in turn glorifies God. Do we know how to seek him and recognize his voice? He declared that he resides within us, making us the temples united with the true vine. The Rabbis, despite their extensive traditions—over 600—failed to recognize their own Messiah. The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone of our faith.
In America, we have numerous churches, including catholic, protestant, synagogues, and temples, each with its own traditions and beliefs. However, I profess today that there is only one path to heaven: “the Way, the Truth, and the Life,” which is through Christ Jesus, as Peter affirmed, declaring him to be the Christ, the Son of God! There are many discussions and theological theories, and many learned individuals enjoy engaging in debate, but do we truly embody our faith? We may talk the talk, but do we walk the walk? Jesus taught that we must become like children to enter the kingdom of heaven. As stated in Matthew 18:3, “Truly, I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven
What does it signify for us as adults because it gets more difficult and I believe we get set in our ways, prone to judgment, clinging to unforgiveness, and harboring pride? The greatest temptation besides pride is lust and lust of money. Jesus said, Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God. – Matthew 19:24
As humans, we are not exempt from the challenges of this world. However, through Christ Jesus, all our sins can be forgiven through repentance and turning back to God. If we approach Him with the innocence of a child, we can experience transformation. Embrace love and love your neighbors, forgive others, and hold onto your God as a child clings to a parent. Never let go, for He will never abandon you.
A child possesses unwavering belief, free from fear and doubt in their Father. They love their Father unconditionally and cannot imagine life without him. A child weeps when separated from their Father and rejoices upon His return. They run to him, share laughter, and trust him completely. This is the relationship our Heavenly Father desires from us: to recognize that we are His children and that He is always with us, even until the end of time. He is present among us. The one who resides within you is greater than the one who is in the world.
Have we forgotten we are the body of Christ while on this Earth? The Apostle Paul writes about this and every day we should be adding to the Church! Paul wrote this to the church of Corinth: “Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts forms one body, so it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many” (1 Corinthians 12:12-14). Yet, while the Disciples passionately worshipped Jesus and were prepared to sacrifice their lives for Him, they went and performed miracles in Jesus’ name, preached the gospel and added to the church every day. The modern Church appears to have lost its fervor for Christ. Many profess their faith, but we have drifted away from their first love.
We have adopted secular practices, neglected His commandments and failed to live in accordance with God’s calling. Instead of imparting the significance of Jesus’ resurrection to our children, we prioritize the Easter Bunny, candy, and eggs over our Lord and Savior, a fault I too acknowledge. Have any of us taken our children or grandchildren to see “The King of Kings” in theaters to share the story of Jesus with them? I did so recently, aware that my grandchildren are not being taught the truth of Christ Jesus, which deeply troubles me. This should be a concern for all of us. Even more glaring is we do not recognize sin as sin anymore like abortion, it breaks my heart how we are allowing our children to accept sin as good. We profess belief, yet we often disregard His commands. I must be honest with myself: whom do I serve, and what do I truly love? Or I cannot be honest with you or my God! I do believe there are many people that do love God and stand on truth however, God wants all souls to be with him in heaven. I believe during the return of Christ Jesus many miracles will abound, and it will be like the days of Acts.
Numerous disciples struggled to comprehend the parables and teachings of Christ Jesus, finding them too challenging. Similarly, the Church today grapples with understanding many scriptures that address the well-being of our Church, and the actions required to repent and turn back to God, for the Kingdom of God is at hand!
Whom do you seek? And where is the body of Christ?
Matthew 24:35 “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.”
