Jesus is the one who reminded us that compassion is at the heart of God. In confronting the laws of his day, Jesus reminds us that people and their needs are far more important than keeping laws that stop us being obedient to God.
If we want the world to see God’s love it has to be through Christians (His people), when they overtly act in love to their neighbors, with God’s help. John Paul 2 reaction after he was shot, was still ringing powerfully in the mind of the aggressor 30 years later, because John Paul’s act of forgiveness, was a revelation of the love of God to that man. Hear that story today!
Mary goes to the tomb, the tomb is empty, a man appears, she hears her name, her heart explodes with joy!
She asks the smallest of mercies, but receives the greatest of gifts, an encounter with her friend, Messiah, Rabbi-nah!
She remembers the Good Shepherd. No other voice can define or limit who she is. She had to go and tell.
Troubled and full of doubts the disciples are hiding in a locked room.
Jesus appears and stands there. An example of “A life after life after death.”
Appearances of Jesus to his disciples shows the message of, ‘Faith and Hope and Doubt’ are in collision, which helps us to face our own confusion. The one who died stands “In the Midst” with a new offering.
The Cross was not the end.
The Tomb could not hold Jesus.
He gives up His spirit before death and then gives it up again when after the resurrection, He gathers with those who were lost and breathes on them. In Easter we celebrate “Christ is Risen”.
Seeing the sun rise on Easter Day morning is like an explosion of ‘Resurrection Life’.
When we recognize that the Resurrection is not ‘historical’ but an ever present reality that happens over and over, it is then that we can catch a glimpse what the meaning of this life really is – it is much bigger than any death!
Old Testament predictions come to fulfillment.
On the journey with Jesus, the disciples misunderstand many of the prophesies presented to them in the teachings. A humble donkey plays a main role.
Our actions will follow from where our heart leads us to look and see, and what we think about.
What we focus on and what we fill our time and our minds with has a direct effect on what our
instant responses to people and situations will be.
God’s love is not reserved for a once a year religious event be it Christmas or Easter, a few privileged people or confined to a time or place.
God’s love is revealed in Christ’s humanity, for the sake of all our humanity.
Are there some areas of our lives that there needs to be some ‘cleaning’ happen?
Get rid of the old stuff and look towards new opportunities.
Perhaps we need to look at things in a different light and listen out for what God is saying to us.
God through Jesus offers so much, he gives us choices.
