Easter: Wednesday, April 19, 2006

Old Testament Lesson

Exodus 12:40-51

The Lord set for regulations for the keeping of Passover. He wanted it done a certain way. He wanted done in a way that gives glory to Him and shows His holiness. The word Holy means set apart. Notice in this text several times it mentions those that were alien to Israel. If they are just there working for a few days, then they cannot take the Passover. If they want to celebrate the Passover, they must become like the Israelites, they must be circumcised and live as they live.

They could not receive the blessing of the Passover until they became set apart and lived like the Israelites. It is not enough for you and me to say that we want God’s blessings. It is not enough for us to come to church on occasion. Just as those foreigners that wanted to celebrate the Passover must truly live like the Israelites, for us to truly know God’s blessings, we must live like God wants us to. We must live a dedicated live. We must live a Holy, set apart life. Is does no good to say that we want to live for God, and then live like world. We will never know the fullness of God’s grace until we live fully devoted to Him.

New Testament Lesson

1 Corinthians 15:29-41

Paul here tells us about certainty of the resurrection, and while we know it will be glorious, we do not fully know what it will look like in all its stripes. We do know that it will be the complete revelation of God’s glory.

There is so much in life that we don’t know, so much in faith that we don’t know. But, think of how much we do know. What do we do that? While we can sit and ponder the mysteries of resurrection for eternity, we do know that Jesus was resurrected, and we do know that we will be as well. How does that affect our lives today? The fact that this life is not the end, how does that affect how we live today? For it must. Our beliefs must impact our lives, or else we are not truly living what we believe.

Our Lord was resurrected. We will be also. How will that shape how you life today?

Gospel Lesson

Matthew 28:1-16

The text says that as the women left the tomb, they were afraid, yet filled with joy. That can describe much of our lives. We have joy because we know what God has done in our lives, but so often there is fear. There is fear over family. There is fear over work. There is fear over security. While we can have joy, we can also have much fear.

In the Bible, when folks encounter an angel, more every time the first response of the angel is “Do not fear.” The Bible also says that perfect love drives out fear (1 John 4:18). Friends, we have nothing to fear today. They were fearful because they did not fully know what God had done. You and I know what God has done; how He has conquered sin, death and the grave. What reason do we have to fear? We have none.

But, we have every reason to have joy. Do you have joy in your life today?