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The Heart of Easter

I love the Easter Season as it is such a celebration of Spring! It is filled with Flowers, Chocolate Eggs, and New Life. Easter has always been a celebration in our family filled with Easter Egg Hunts, Family, Food, Church, and Fun! Now as a Nana, it is so enjoyable to watch as my granddaughter and niece experience it all for the first time. It totally brings joy to my heart! But, putting all of that aside, I want to share what I believe to be the true Heart of Easter.

You can read more about what I believe the true Heart of Christmas to be in this post. It is truly where the story begins 2,000 years ago. But today, I want to focus on Easter.

The Heart of Easter

The Manger Story is only the Starting Point

The story of Jesus being born in a manger is only the beginning of the story. It is the starting point, the background for the story of Jesus’s life on earth, but more importantly His death on the cross. It is great to remember the baby in the manger, but so much more important to know the Savior that He came to be. Jesus was born to a virgin. He was fully human, but also fully God. He was completely sin free, but at the same time, he was fully able to face all the temptations that we face every day.

After a time of traveling around and ministering to those in need, creating miracles and healing, the time for Jesus’s greatest act of love had come. To fulfill prophecy, Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey. The crowds shouted “Hosanna, blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord”, and laid palm branches down on the ground in front of him. It truly was a special time, a time of honor and victory. But things would soon change.

Jesus continued to minister, sharing stories and parables and giving information about the future. The future when he would no longer be on earth with his followers. It was the Passover season and, as the custom commanded, Jesus sat down to share the Passover Supper with his disciples. He shared with them what would happen next, but as often the case, it is difficult to hear and process the truth when we are hearing something that we don’t like. We don’t really like change. Even if things are going to get better, it is hard to accept change. Several of his disciples had this difficulty.

The Heart of Easter

And then it all changed…

Within a short period of time, life for the disciples changed from preaching, teaching, traveling, and seeing daily miracles, to watching their dear friend Jesus being put to death on a cross. As a child, I always thought death on a cross was a painful, but quick death. As an adult, I have studied and learned what it truly meant. It was the most gruesome and painful way to die. I can’t even imagine being able to bear up under that type of pain, but Jesus did.

The most amazing thing about Jesus, is that he didn’t die on the cross to pay for a crime, or sin, or even a small mistake that he made. He did it for us. For little ol’ you and me. The best way I can describe it is this. If I were accused of a crime, I would have to go to court. At the court, witnesses would be brought up, the crime would be proven, and then I would be convicted of the crime. After that, I would be sentenced and required to serve the sentence, whatever it would be to fit the crime.

But I didn’t have to pay the price for my crime.

In this scenario, it is as if Jesus walked into the courtroom and said, ‘Your Honor, I want to take on the sentence for this crime, let this person go. I have not committed a crime, but I will pay the penalty”. Seriously, that is what happened on the cross! In the Bible the book of Romans says, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).

I know I have sinned. And I know I have hated, or held unforgiveness against someone, or been envious. The list could go on and on and I could name thousands of things. Thousands of reasons that I am not good enough to go to Heaven and fully deserving of Hell. But thankfully, Jesus was blameless and sin free, Holy. Because of this, when he went through death on a cross, he took my sins, all the things I would ever do that were wrong, put them on himself, and paid the price.

I am a very humany human. And I truly would be willing to take a lot on. I am willing to stand up for others, and take their burdens, but I can’t imagine taking all the sin of someone else, let alone the whole world, and putting it on myself. I could not bear up under that, but Jesus did.

The Heart of Easter

Why It Means So Much to Me

So, why does it mean so much to me? Because I truly believe that Jesus is the Son of God, who came to earth to save me from my sins. And, I believe He came to save us all, but when I came to a saving knowledge of Jesus, I was just thinking about myself. Finally, I believe he died on the Cross, rose from the grave on the third day, went up into Heaven and now sits at God, the Father’s right hand. It’s cool, and the stuff adventure movies are made of, but I believe with every part of my being that it is true.

Why do I believe it is true you might ask? Because I know who I was before Jesus came into my heart, and I know who I am now. Before, I was selfish, self-centered, afraid, angry, hopeless, and in general not a very nice person. I felt desperate all the time and felt completely alone. When Jesus came into my heart everything changed. My heart was light, I was forgiven, and was empowered to be a more focused person, who gave of my time, talents, and money to make the world around me a better place. And, I was no longer alone. It was strange at first, knowing that I now belonged to Jesus, and my life was no longer my own. However, at the same time, I felt free! Free of the past, free from pride, free from desperation and loneliness.

You Might Be Thinking…

You might be thinking, Okay Jennifer, this is “over the top” religious. It is not though, because it is not about religion, it is about a relationship. My relationship with Jesus. A very dear relationship that gets me through life in an awesome, amazing, adventuring sort of way. Or, you might be thinking, I totally get what you are saying Jennifer! I have been there, done that, and now I, too, have my heart held by Jesus.

Of course, you might be saying, Jennifer, this is freaking me out, but I think I need what you have. Peace. If that is the case, then I am so glad to share how easy it is to ask Jesus into your heart. First, you just admit that you have done wrong things in your life. This does not mean writing a list of every bad thing you ever did but just acknowledging that you are broken and need Jesus. Second, ask Jesus to forgive you for the things that you have done wrong. It is easy, you don’t need a flowery old-fashioned prayer or fancy words. Just be you! He created you, knows your heart, and would love to talk to the real you.

The Heart of Easter

How you can know Him too!

It is simple, ask Him to come into your heart, clean out the old junk that we have each carried inside, and to wash you clean and make you new. And He will do it. Right then and there, Jesus will come into your heart. You probably won’t see an angelic choir singing, or fireworks going off. But you will know. When I am talking with some people, and they want to take this step, I lead them through this simple prayer, which you are more than welcome to copy.

Quote John 11:25

“Jesus, I acknowledge that I have done wrong things in the past and I want to be free from them. Please forgive me for the things I have done. Come into my heart today. Wash me clean from my past. Make me new. Speak to my heart and live inside of me. And Thank You for your work on the cross to save me!”

If you said this prayer, congratulations. Find an easy to read bible and start reading in the book of John, find a church home, and spend Easter celebrating freedom from sin and death. And free to also eat chocolate bunnies, and those delicious Cadbury Eggs.

My hope for you is that you have a wonderful Spring and Easter Season, that your home is filled with family and friends as you celebrate, and that you have time to reflect on the Heart of Easter. If you have questions or comments about this post, please share in the comments below. And, in case you are looking for a yummy Easter Egg cookie recipe, I have included it in the link below. And, if you are interested in purchasing a bible for you or a family member I have put links through Amazon below. I personally use the Beautiful Word coloring Bible and love it! I read a chapter or so and think on it and pray while coloring. Truly love it!

Melting Moments- And Easter Egg Cookie

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