He is RISEN ....... INDEED !!!!!!!

   The following is my personal thought path that became my lesson for the Junior high girls this evening..... I will let you know however ... it was preceded by a viewing of the "Passion" .... since it is in fact the Holy week. My mind was flooded with a thousand thoughts all at once but what you are about to read is what I caught on paper........

   I would encourage you to read the story yourself first ... I read it from Matthew .. starting in chapter 21 and then through.. (minus the parables) to the crucifixion and lastly the BEST part the resurrection!!!

   It was a lot of scripture to read through and while Matthew wasn't my first choice ... he does cover most of the bases. So read the story..... be taken back ....refresh your mind .. or maybe discover it for the first time ... you won't be disappointed....


   ......This past Sunday Jesus would have ridden into Jerusalem .. on a donkey... with GREAT excitement . The Jews believed him to be the long awaited "King" ...... come to save them from their "captors" as it were. But all too soon their joy and excitement turned to anger and resentment.
They were looking for Him to save them from their earthly "captivity".... He came to free them from their "spiritual" captivity......

    He was betrayed by a friend, one who valued the small sack of coins more than the life a friend...even if only for a moment....

   While He prayed in the Garden..... His other friends fell asleep... when all He had asked of them was to stay awake......

   Then while on trial....for false charges nonetheless.... one of these same friends denied knowing Him.... not once.... not twice... but 3 times...

   His own people were rejecting the truth that stood before them,
                                                                  that lived and breathed...
                                                                     One that many had listened to,
                                                                        and said they believed in.
                                                                          They had eaten with Him....followed Him ....
                                                                    but now were scorning Him,  .....and ready to kill Him

   ..... WHY????? ..... why had they changed their minds so quickly...... how had they gone from love to hate in less than a week ...?????

   In part ... because He was not what they "wanted"....
                     He didn't follow the rules they thought He should ....
                                    He didn't do the things they thought He would....
                                                 
  In fact ..... He was what they "needed" ...........................

   He brought them the truth, because He was the truth............

      He brought them life, because He was the life .........

        ...and He brought the Way ... because without His death on the cross ... there wouldn't be a way!


The truth is this .... the details ... as painful as they are ... and ultimately Christ's crucifixion on that cross .... that is the truth that sets us free.


Each of us have been one of those friends ... we have played at least one of those roles in our lives...

   .... the betrayer ... by denial, or gossip, maybe revenge, or maybe even for the "money"...

      ...we have  let someone we love down ... we fell asleep when they needed us

         ..we have believed lies for the truth ....

          ... and ALL of us at one time or another have expected Jesus to be something we "wanted"         rather than what He is ......


               .... and yet now ....... just like then ......

   ... He has already forgiven us .... we just need to ask .......

             .... "For by His stripes, we are healed" .....


Just like many of the prophecies in the Old Testament .... these things were meant to happen just as they did.

While the one who betrayed Him did in fact take His own life .... there are happier endings too ....
    ... Those who fell asleep ...became the one's who spread the gospel...
      ....The one who denied Him .... became the "rock" the church was built on ...
          ... and those who scorned Him .....even some who had cried out .... "CRUCIFY HIM!!!"
                   they became followers and members of the first churches ......


I certainly hope that you can enjoy and celebrate this Easter Sunday with the joy that comes from knowing that ...... HE is Risen INDEED ...... HALLELUJAH .....!!!!!!