Dear Family and Friends,

Why do you celebrate Easter? And perhaps more importantly, why do you love Jesus?

I asked myself these questions this week.

In years past, my Easter’s were all about getting the church ready for the big day. It was a day to hope and pray that the setting and the words sung and spoken would draw hearts to Christ.

There was really no time to think about these questions.

It was a fun and fulfilling season in life, but that’s all behind me now.

That said, let me share a small sampling of the reasons why I celebrate Easter and love Jesus.

My hope is that you’ll be spurred to add your personal reasons for loving Jesus to the list.

And for those who are not yet sure about Easter and Jesus, I pray this devotional will be of some help.

Jesus, I love You and celebrate this day because:

Easter gives us a second chance.

We were cleansed, made holy, made right with God. Sins, guilt, and the shame from poor choices, all now gone.

Most of you know me as a pastor. Or going back a few more years, as an active church member. What you don’t know is who I once was.

Let me put it this way. If my high school class had to pick someone who was most likely to become a pastor – I would’ve been dead last. Not even a consideration. 

When my former classmates first learn I’m now a pastor, they gawk in disbelief. Same holds true for former business associates.

“And I will forgive their wickedness, and I will never again remember their sins.”  ‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭8‬:‭12‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Would you agree that this new half of life is so much better than the first? 

Easter allows us to live this life knowing there will be a happy ending.

Rarely does life have happy endings like in Disney movies or Korean dramas.

Ours will.

“For we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down (that is, when we die and leave this earthly body), we will have a house in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God himself and not by human hands.”  ‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭5‬:‭1‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Our life story may have started off suspenseful. But now we know that we will live happily ever after…

Easter allows me to live for this world and the next.

The only SM type app I use is called Nextdoor. It was quite useful for keeping up with the goings on in the neighborhood.

But like most ‘social media’ type platforms, the haters have emerged.

Why is it so hard to just agree…or say nothing? This may not sound like much, but folks who bully others are everywhere – online and in the news.

It’s hard to stand by and watch evil, and not react by judging the haters. I feel for the victims and want justice served.

But would you agree that life is too short and precious to waste on judging bullies and haters?

“For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done.”  ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭16‬:‭27‬ ‭ESV‬‬

We now have peace knowing all will be dealt with.

Easter gives us our best identity ever, one we can never lose.

Who am I?

Most of us answer this question with some reference to what we do. Or once did. Like for me, today I’m a retired senior pastor.

Identity is how we see ourselves. It gives us our sense of self and worth.

Unfortunately it’s also how we want others to see us.

How many of us have struggled to maintain or even mask our identity because we want others to like us? Maintaining the facade is tiring.

Jesus solved it all for us.

“Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—.” John‬ ‭1‬:‭12‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Say to yourself: I am a child of God. No one can take this away from me. And the only opinion of me that matters, belongs to Jesus.

Easter displays God’s love for us.

Life doesn’t always go the way we hope. I’ve had my share of rejections from friends, girls, and job opportunities. I’ve been left feeling alone, unloved and unwanted at times.

But no more. I now feel loved – – because I am loved.

“This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.

This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.”  ‭‭1 John‬ ‭4‬:‭9‬-‭10‬ ‭NIV‬‬

We’ve spent most of this message focused on ourselves. Let’s turn it around and close by praising and worshipping Jesus.

Praise the Lord, all you nations;
    extol him, all you peoples.
For great is his love toward us,
    and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever. 
Praise the Lord.
Psalm 117 NIV 

In love always,