From the Pastor: Easter affirms the gift of God's grace

Easter affirms the gift of God's grace.

by Rev. Jack Hulsey

Today is not the only day that Christians reflect upon the resurrection of Christ, but it is certainly a day that we make the center of our worship. Unlike Christmas, the Bible is quite clear about when this all took place, – during the time of the Jewish Passover, or the 15th of Nisan on the Jewish calendar, which corresponds to late March /early April – and so it truly is an anniversary of sorts. Since we know Jesus was 33 at the time he was crucified, this means it's almost precisely 1,982 years today since that special dawn when Mary Magdalene and the other women discovered the empty tomb.

Jesus said," do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them." (Matthew 5:17). Anytime you see Jesus referring to "the law or the prophets," He's talking about the Old Testament. The law is the first five books of the Bible (which the Jews called the Torah) and the prophets are the rest of it.

For the first century or so after Christ's resurrection, Christians had only the Old Testament for a Bible and a collection of letters (mostly from Paul), which it's debatable that they would have called “Scriptures.”  Jesus had gone on to say, after talking about not abolishing the law, "… anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven…"(Matthew 5:19), so it's obvious he wasn't telling people to toss the Old Testament in the trash bin.

That said; Jesus did change a great deal about the law. He said, for instance, that it was possible to break the law (sin, in other words) by simply wanting to, even if you didn't actually do the deed in question. 

("I tell you, anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment."  Matthew 5:21). You certainly won't find any "Thou shalt not be angry" in the Old Testament, but Jesus was adding this dimension to the law to show people that it was totally impossible for human being to keep every aspect of the law. Our hearts and minds our whole human nature would eventually betray us.

The resurrection demonstrated conclusively that Jesus Christ was God with us, as prophesied in the Old Testament. Who else but the Lord of all creation would be able to offer us eternal life purely as a gift?  Not because of anything we would do, but simply for repenting of sin and believing in Him. “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith…"(Ephesians 2:8).

On this Easter Sunday, I hope that anyone reading this who doesn't know Jesus Christ will take a moment to consider placing their lives in his hands. Turn to him in faith, accepts the gift of God's grace and mercy, and began a glorious new life free of the slavery of sin. Just as all things become new during the spring time of the year, so will you become a new creation in Him. This is why Easter is so very special to Christians, as an affirmation of Christ’s Lordship over all there is including even death. Only one with such power could grant us the gift of eternal life.

From the Pastor's Study by Rev. Jack Hulsey
Printed in Praise & Worship, Woodlake Baptist Church / April 5, 2015