The Miracle of Easter
Monday, April 6th, 2009
Many people, even some Christians, do not fully understand the true meaning of Easter. Jesus Christ was crucified on a cross for for the sins of all mankind on a Friday and on the third day, the day we call Easter Sunday or sometimes called Resurrection Sunday, He rose again.
Because Jesus became flesh and lived so that He would die for our sins, all that was prophesied in the Old Testament of the Bible came true, from the beginning of the Gospel when Jesus was born to a virgin, to His baptism, to His ministry, to His arrest, to His crucifixion and finally to His resurrection, not a even a single event that was prophesied was missing.
Scripture proclaiming the Birth, the Crucifixion and the Resurrection of Jesus:
The Birth of Jesus
Many, many years before the birth of Christ, approximately 700 years, the prophet Isaiah prophesied about the birth of Christ:
Isaiah 7:14 “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.
Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.The Crucifixion (Also known as Good Friday)
Isaiah 53:4 Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted.
Psalm 22:11-18, written 1,000 years before Jesus was born, describes how Jesus would be Crucified:
1 Do not be far from me,
for trouble is near
and there is no one to help.12 Many bulls surround me;
strong bulls of Bashan encircle me.13 Roaring lions tearing their prey
open their mouths wide against me.14 I am poured out like water,
and all my bones are out of joint.
My heart has turned to wax;
it has melted away within me.15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd,
and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth;
you lay me in the dust of death.16 Dogs have surrounded me;
a band of evil men has encircled me,
they have pierced my hands and my feet.17 I can count all my bones;
people stare and gloat over me.18 They divide my garments among them
and cast lots for my clothing.Although Jesus, the Son of God knew that He was put upon the earth to teach the Gospel and to bear the sins of all the world, He faced His crucifixion like a lamb being led to the slaughter. He uttered not one word in His defense.
Here is what it says in the book of Isaiah:
Isaiah 53:7 (New International Version)
7 He was oppressed and afflicted,
yet he did not open his mouth;
he was led like a lamb to the slaughter,
and as a sheep before her shearers is silent,
so he did not open his mouth.Even near the end, just before He died, Jesus asked God to forgive those who crucified Him, saying “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” (Luke 23:34).
The Resurrection (Also known as Easter Sunday)
As we celebrate Easter, we need to remember that the true miracle is that Jesus Christ died for our sins; He was resurrected on the third day and today still lives on, interceding on our behalf to the Father.
Here is the account of the resurrection according to the Gospel of Mark:
Mark 16 (NIV)
The Resurrection1 When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus’ body. 2 Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb 3 and they asked each other, “Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?”
4 But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. 5 As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed.
6 “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. 7 But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’ “
8 Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid.
9 When Jesus rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had driven seven demons. 10 She went and told those who had been with him and who were mourning and weeping. 11 When they heard that Jesus was alive and that she had seen him, they did not believe it.
12 Afterward Jesus appeared in a different form to two of them while they were walking in the country. 13 These returned and reported it to the rest; but they did not believe them either.
14 Later Jesus appeared to the Eleven as they were eating; he rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him after he had risen.
15 He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18 they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.”
19 After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God. 20 Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it.
Have a Blessed Easter and May You Enjoy the Fullness of God’s Love!
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