Christ Is Risen!

Our greatest reason for joy

Good Friday was a disaster.

Earlier in the week, all had been going as the apostles expected. As Jesus entered Jerusalem for the Passover celebrations, the crowds had cheered him as a king: “Hosanna to the Son of David!” (Matt 21:9) But now everything was turned upside down. Jesus had been arrested and executed, and they had abandoned their friend in his time of need. Their hearts were filled with grief, shame, and doubt.

Was Jesus not who he claimed to be?

He had claimed to be divine, and he had worked many miracles to support this claim: casting out demons, healing the sick, and even raising the dead! But now he had been crucified on a hill outside of the city, the mocking inscription “King of the Jews” above his head. Had they been wrong about him? Had their faith in him been misplaced?

Everything changed on Sunday.

Terrified of being arrested, the apostles had been hiding behind locked doors. We can imagine their astonishment when, on Sunday afternoon, Jesus suddenly appeared in the room with them! He was no longer dead; he was alive! He spoke to them with love and encouragement. He reassured them that he was real, not a ghost: “Look at my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me and see, because a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you see I have.” (Luke 24:39) For forty days, Jesus appeared often in this way and prepared his followers for their coming mission.

The apostles rejoiced!

Their sorrow had turned into the greatest joy! And almost two thousand years later, the resurrection of Jesus is still our greatest reason for joy. It means that Jesus really is who he claimed to be! He is not a lunatic, nor a liar, but truly the Lord. Everything he taught and revealed is true. God is real; heaven exists; eternal joy is possible.

Christ’s victory is our victory!

The resurrection of Jesus means that the crucifixion was not his defeat, but actually his moment of victory! Jesus has conquered sin and death. United with Christ, we too can share in the glory of his resurrection; death will not have the last word in our lives! Even in moments of sorrow and hardship, we too can exclaim with joy, “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting? …Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!” (1 Cor 15: 55-57)

He Did It for You!

Was Jesus in the wrong place at the wrong time?

Nobody messes with Chuck Norris.

After becoming a world champion of martial arts, Chuck Norris was noticed by Hollywood and starred in countless action movies. In recent years he has become an entertaining image of invincible strength. One can’t imagine a fighter like Chuck Norris getting cornered in a street and captured by bad guys. He could fight his way out of any trap. The only way that he could get taken is if he chose to give himself up, part of a greater master plan.

Jesus was arrested and treated like a criminal.

During his three years of ministry, Jesus had done nothing wrong, but upon visiting Jerusalem he was arrested and taken to court. The witnesses made up lies about him, and he was sentenced to death. Jesus was brutally mocked, tortured, and put on a cross between two criminals.

Jesus freely chose to give his life for us.

One might imagine Jesus as someone who was in the wrong place at the wrong time. But remember that Jesus was God in our midst. He knew ahead of time what was going to happen and freely chose to allow it to happen. He was much more powerful than any action star. With a mere thought, he could have stopped the proceedings at any time.

The good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep.

A few months before his arrest, Jesus described himself as the good shepherd. When wolves come, a good shepherd sacrifices himself for his flock. He too will choose to lay down his life for us, his flock: “No one takes it from me, but I lay it down on my own. I have power to lay it down, and power to take it up again. This command I have received from my Father.” (John 10:18)

Jesus gave his life so we may have true life.

It was all part of a divine rescue mission. Jesus knew that we were all captives to sin, and we could do nothing on our own to free ourselves. Jesus chose to give his life so that we could be freed from sin and restored as sons and daughters of the Heavenly Father. As true God, he could offer a perfect sacrifice of love. As true man, he was able to offer this sacrifice on behalf of all of humanity. His sacrifice offers us the gift of union with God, here on earth and one day in heaven.

Jesus died for you personally!

Jesus did not just give his life for all of us as a human race. On Good Friday, he knew each of us who would ever exist. He chose to give his life for you personally. Even if you were the only person who needed to be saved from sin, he would have still done the same! What joy as Christians, knowing that Jesus loves us so much that he chose to give his life for us!

The Doctor Is In!

Aren’t we all in need of healing?

Sometimes we are sick and we don’t even know it.

We have heard of situations where people feel perfectly fine, appearing to be in great physical shape, and yet they discover they have a serious illness. It is devastating news, but it is good that they finally know about it and can seek out a doctor’s help. Although there are many who are sick, the doctor can only help those who recognize they need healing.

We are all in need of healing.

Even though we are created to know and love God, we often choose actions which separate us from God. This is what the Bible calls “sin.” In smaller ways or bigger ways, we all experience daily temptations to sin. When we sin, we end up hurting ourselves and those around us. Reflecting back over the years, we can see how our hearts have been spiritually wounded by our sinful choices.

God the Father loves us despite our sin.

It is easy to imagine that God loves us less when we sin. But Jesus shows us that we are loved despite our sinfulness. The Father’s limitless love for us is not dimmed by our brokenness. We can’t decrease his love for us by our sins, nor can we increase his love for us by good actions. As a loving Father, his love for us is already overflowing, incapable of increase or decrease.

Jesus is the divine physician.

During his ministry, Jesus did not spend all of his time with the religious leaders of his day, those who thought of themselves as holy and close to God. Instead, Jesus usually sought out sinful men and women, those who recognized their need for forgiveness and healing. He explained, “It is not the healthy that need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” (Mark 2:17)

God freely offers us his forgiveness.

Since Jesus was not an ordinary man, but God in our midst, he was able to forgive people’s sins. On one beautiful occasion, a woman with a sinful reputation came and began crying at his feet. Jesus recognized her sorrow for her sins and had pity on her. He told her, “Your sins are forgiven, go in peace!” (Luke 7)

Christ’s healing brings joy.

Imagine the joy of that woman, who leaves Jesus knowing that she is forgiven of her sins! This is the joy that we have as Christians. Recognizing our spiritual brokenness, we follow the woman’s example and turn to Christ with repentance. And we too experience forgiveness and healing at the hands of the divine physician!

Portrait of the Father

What makes us valuable as a person?

A loving father holds his baby daughter in his arms.

The little baby has no money. She has no athletic ability. She is not famous. She has not accomplished anything, beyond filling her diaper! And yet the father loves the child, simply because she is his daughter.

Here we see a reflection of God’s love for us.

Jesus revealed something unexpected about God. He called God his Father, and he shared that God knows and loves each of us in a personal way, too. God does not see us merely as creatures he has created, but as his sons and daughters. The imperfect love that earthly fathers have for their children is just a small taste of the unconditional love that God the Father has for each of us.

Jesus models the love of his Father.

In our broken world, it can be difficult to imagine the love of such a father. Many of us have not been able to experience an earthly father who was present and loving. But as we read about Jesus in the Gospels, our hearts begin to be touched by his words and actions. Like a son who resembles his father, as we come to know Jesus, we start to encounter the love of our Heavenly Father.

The Father’s love is for all of his children.

Instead of spending time with those who were seen as important or holy, Jesus was always reaching out to those who society rejected: the poor, the outcasts, the sinners. Jesus shows us that the Father loves every one of his children; the world’s labels mean nothing to him. He knows each of us by name and seeks us out, just as Jesus reached out to Zacchaeus the tax collector and called him by name. (Luke 19)

We tend to judge our worth based on earthly qualities.

Someone who is beautiful is valued more than a person with average looks. A wealthy person is more important than someone who is not. But beauty fades; wealth can be lost. It is liberating to recognize that our value is not based on passing qualities such as these.

The Father’s love is the source of Christian joy.

Like the baby in our example, we are not loved because of our abilities or accomplishments, but simply because God is our Father. We each have extraordinary value, a worth which flows from the amazing fact that we are personally known and loved by God. What joy to know that the God who created the entire universe, whose beauty is beyond our imagining, loves each of us as a Father!

What If God Was One of Us?

A radio hit sparks a conversation at the office

A surprising topic for a pop song.

In the 90s, Joan Osborne released the hit song “One of Us,” in which she wondered, “What if God was one of us? Just a stranger on the bus, trying to make his way home? …If God had a name, what would it be and would you call it to his face? …What would you ask if you had just one question?”

“Wouldn’t that be a great idea for a story?”

A Christian author, Mark Shea, shares how this song began playing on his coworker’s radio one day at the office. The coworker looked thoughtful for a moment and then said, “Wouldn’t that be a great idea for a story?” Mark said, “What?” She replied, “Suppose God became a human being. Wouldn’t that be a great idea for a story?”

God did become one of us!

Mark explained to his coworker that this has indeed already happened. Two thousand years ago, God did enter the world and became one of us. He did look just like one of us, no different from anyone else in the crowd. You could look into his eyes and ask him any question. He did have a name: his name was Jesus.

This changes everything.

Mark’s coworker correctly grasped that, if God actually became one of us, this would be the most wonderful event that had ever happened in human history. How could the infinite God, without beginning or end, become part of finite creation? How could God, who the entire universe cannot contain, become an infant growing in Mary’s womb? And wouldn’t we want to know everything he did and said while on earth?

This is the astonishing belief at the heart of Christianity.

A number of the major world religions hold that their founders were inspired by God or taught on his behalf. But only Christianity declares that God has actually chosen to become one of us, entering the world as a human being. (John 1:14) The man known by historians as Jesus of Nazareth was different from all others in history, because he was truly God in our midst.

How extravagant is God’s love!

Instead of communicating once more through human messengers, God came to earth himself! Rather than giving a little of himself, he gave himself completely. This is how much he loves us. This is how important each of us is to him. Looking into the face of Jesus, calling him by name as a close friend, we discover joy that the world cannot take away!

The Adventure of a Lifetime

What if you were called on an amazing journey?

We love great adventure stories.

Often in novels and movies, ordinary people are suddenly called on an unexpected adventure. It is a mission that seems impossible, a mission that beckons them to true greatness. By the end, they have discovered truths and grown in ways that they never could have imagined.

What if we too are called on such an adventure?

We love these kinds of stories because, deep within ourselves, we sense that we are called to something special, something great. And this isn’t just a daydream; it is reality! God has indeed created us for an amazing adventure, greater than anything Hollywood has ever portrayed.

God calls us on an amazing journey.

God is not an impersonal force or energy, like gravity or electricity. Rather, he knows us and loves us in a personal way. He created us to enjoy a relationship of love with him, here on earth and one day in heaven. He invites us to share in his own divine life. This is our purpose on earth. This is the answer to the meaning of life. This is the adventure that makes all others seem small in comparison.

Our journeys are unique.

We all share this call from God to journey towards him, but the particular path will be different for each of us. He has a special plan for each of our lives, a plan which calls us to faithfully develop the talents and opportunities we have received. Along our journey, we each have some special work that God has intended for us to do, tasks that he has not intended for anyone else.

Our adventure with God enriches all areas of our lives.

Jesus taught, “Love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, mind, and soul.” (Matthew 22:37) As our love for God grows, he starts to slowly change our hearts, and our love for those around us also grows. We become better spouses, better parents, better friends. We become more fruitful employees and more engaged citizens. Rather than weighing us down or holding us back, our relationship with God allows us to live life to the fullest.

Accepting God’s call brings joy.

Like the heroes in the stories, we have to take that first step and embark on the adventure. It will not be easy; there will be hardships and trials, obstacles and foes. But there is a deep peace and joy that comes from accepting God’s call and beginning to journey with our Christian brothers and sisters on this most amazing adventure.

There’s Got to Be More Than This

We desire more than the world can give.

Tom Brady gave a famous interview in 2005.

After winning his third Superbowl, the famous quarterback shared something surprising about his life. On 60 Minutes, he wondered aloud, “Why do I have three Superbowl rings, and still think there’s something greater out there for me? I mean, maybe a lot of people would say, ‘Hey man, you’ve reached your dream, your goal.’ Me, I think, there’s got to be more than this.”

Isn’t Tom’s experience like our own?

Like Tom, we can have everything that we imagine would make us happy, and yet we can feel, “Is this all there is?” There is a restlessness, a yearning, which still remains unsatisfied. Whatever worldly goals we accomplish, whatever possessions we acquire, there is still something missing. As one author has pointed out, we can never get enough of what we don’t really need.

There is joy in finding the desire of our hearts.

Imagine how frustrating it would be if, desperate for a drink of water, every faucet we tried would only dribble a few drops of water into our glass. And imagine how overjoyed we would be to discover a waterfall, cold and pure, in which our glass could be filled to overflowing! This is the joy we experience as Christians as we stop trying to find fulfillment in the world alone, and instead begin to encounter God in a personal way.

Our hearts are restless until they rest in God.

We were created by God out of love, and our hearts were created to receive his infinite love. This is why even the love of a spouse cannot completely fill our hearts, because it is still a finite love. But as we begin to encounter God, we encounter the one our hearts were longing for all along. As one early Christian famously observed, our hearts are restless until they rest in God.

Why not try a different way?

Within yourself, do you recognize some of the same questions asked by Tom Brady? Many times, we drown out our uneasiness with constant noise and distraction. In quiet reflection, though, we can recognize the pattern of trying one broken faucet after another. Why not give God a chance to show that he is the one you have been searching for?

What Is Your Source of Joy?

Our hearts are created for joy that the world cannot give or take away

Only about a third of Americans say that they are happy.

Each year Time Magazine conducts a study asking Americans about their happiness. For the last ten years, the results have been very consistent: only about a third of Americans respond that they are happy. Other studies have similar results.

How can this be?

Our nation is one of the richest in the world. We are living longer than ever before. From a worldly perspective, we have all the ingredients for happiness. And yet, how many of us are truly happy? How many of us have true joy?

Our worldly blessings do not always bring joy.

For example, we have more options for entertainment than ever before: hundreds of television channels, video streaming over the internet, and ways to connect by social media. But are we happier? Instead of bringing joy, don’t these things often make us feel lonely or unfulfilled? Even though we are surrounded by so many worldly blessings, why are we so often without joy?

The apostle Paul had the opposite experience.

During his ministry, he experienced tremendous sufferings in his efforts to share Christ: persecution, physical beatings, constant rejection, and even shipwrecks! (2 Cor 11) And yet he was a man filled with joy. He could even encourage his readers, “Rejoice always! I say it again, rejoice!” (Phil 4:4)

Paul’s experience shows us that there is a deeper source of joy which comes from God.

There are many things that help us feel happiness or joy in a particular moment, such as spending time with a friend or winning a championship game. But most of the joys given by the world only last for a while, or the sources of joy can be taken away or lost.
All of us desire a deep, authentic joy that cannot be taken away.

The good news is that this desire can actually be fulfilled!

God placed this yearning in our hearts so we can start to seek him out. All of the beautiful and good things which we experience in our lives are meant to point us to him, so we can experience the even deeper joy that comes from knowing him.

Christians should be happy, joy-filled people!

In the coming weeks, we will be sharing some of our reasons for joy as Christians. We hope that you will find these messages an encouragement and an inspiration.