Easter, He Is Risen, 2023

By Douglas V. Gibbs
Author, Speaker, Instructor, Radio Host

Hello, my friends, and Happy Easter.  I can speak out freely about my Faith in Jesus Christ, and the fact that Jesus Has Risen, because I live in the United States of America.  Our country's foundation was been laid on the solid principles of Natural Rights given to us by our Creator, The Blessings of Liberty, and a Limited Government whose job is not to rule over us, but to secure those rights and keep our society operating in an orderly manner.  Without God, without Liberty, and without limited authorities being recognized when it comes to our wonderful home here in America, we become just another tyranny that reduces the population to subjects and serfs, increases misery and suffering, and ultimately fails through a violent and bloody death.

Unfortunately, right now in this country, we are in the midst of a spiritual war.  A segment of the American Population has declared that this is no longer a Christian Union of States.  A decade and a half ago Newsweek Magazine declared on its cover we are "no longer a Christian Nation."  Local news has revealed that barely more than half of Americans are planning on attending church services this Easter.  We are not even sure which bathroom to use, anymore.  Do we truly expect Americans to still reach out to the One and Only God?

Our culture has been doing more than abandoning Christianity, we have been waging war against God, and Thomas Jefferson's words about God's Justice reminds me that we can only be disobedient to Him for so long.

"Indeed I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just: that his justice cannot sleep forever." -- Thomas Jefferson

Easter celebrates the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.  Sure, the kids hunt eggs and chow down on candy, but Easter is one of those holidays that everyone enjoys even if they are not a person of Faith. The kids love the egg hunts and candy, and families get together for a moment hopefully setting aside the anger and contempt that they may feel about one another as they enjoy a meal, and company with one another.  But, the Holiday is not about bunnies or colored eggs, it is about the ultimate Gift given to us by our Creator.  Easter is about the Gift of Salvation from an unholy eternity.  Forgiveness for our sins.  An opportunity to have a relationship with the Creator and be filled with his Holy Spirit.  It is about the Father sending His Son to live among us, communicate with us, and die as one of us so that He could bare the entire world's burden of sin throughout all of history by being horrifically crucified, and then rising again from the dead.  He is the only religious figure in history to conquer death because He is the Creator of Life and Death.  Jesus Christ is the only person to walk the Earth to have also been God in the flesh, the Creator, and to be capable of conquering death.

In these troubled times it is sometimes difficult to keep our eyes on the Lord.  I get it.  We are bombarded daily with attacks that are sinister, diabolical, and to be honest, downright Satanic.  I joke that some of us are C&E Christians, we only go to a Worship Service to celebrate Easter and Christmas.  Fine, at least you join us twice per year.  But, should not we do more?  He was willing to die a terrible death for us on a Cross on Calvary.  Should we not at least talk to Him (prayer) and join our fellow Christians in fellowship and worship at church?  Should we not celebrate His Gift of Salvation to us, and then tell the whole world about it?

A famous comedian once joked that he couldn't understand how it is that God is all powerful, He is everywhere all at once, but if we want to visit Him we have to go to church.  It's a funny joke, but it misses the point.  Going to church is not for Him, it's for us.  We all have fallen short of the Glory of God.  We need the fellowship, we need to Worship Him, we need to commune with Him, we need to be encouraged by Him, we need to be educated and brought to His Focus through worship, fellowship, and the teachings presented by Men of God.  

We also need to make sure that going to church on Easter is not simply a rare occurrence.  If you were an avid golfer and a PGA pro lived in your neighborhood and said, "visit anytime, I am willing to talk to you, and guide you in your golfing endeavor, whenever you wish," would you pay the person a visit every once in a while?  Would you be knocking on his door once or twice per year?  

Church is the opportunity to commune with Him, fellowship with other Christians, and study His Word (though we should be in our Bible every day, as well).  Easter, however, is extra special.  It is an opportunity to remember His sacrifice.  Not that His Death, Burial, and Resurrection should not be on our mind constantly, in the first place.  Easter, however, is the moment we really can come together and truly envelope ourselves in what our Faith in Jesus Christ is really all about.

I am told that I can keep my faith.  Christianity is not very inclusive.  Certain people, I have been told, are not welcome to a church service.  "Besides," one person told me, "I can't stand to be around so many self-righteous people."

Christianity is the most inclusive thing there is in the universe.  Jesus welcomes everyone to Him.  If you call out to Him to come into your heart, to save you from your transgressions, that you repent of your sinful ways, and that you wish to take up the cross and follow Him, if you truly mean it, you will be welcomed into the Family of Christ.  And if you consider yourself to be "certain people" with "certain differences," and you've heard that the kind of behavior or tendencies you participate in are rejected by Christians, remember that it may be true that whatever it is in your life may be against God's plans for you, but He takes you as you are.  You don't have to change or fix yourself to come to Christ.  Once you are in His Arms the fixing and changing comes naturally.  He changes us into a new creature, and all of those silly things we think we are become secondary to Him, and wash away thanks to the blood He shed for us.  As for those "self-righteous Christians," God is working on all of us.  Those who accept Christ are not righteous, they are forgiven, and if being smug and self-righteous is a battle a person is having in their lives, if their lives have been given to God, if they died unto themselves and were reborn through the Blood of Jesus Christ, God is working on them.  God is always working, even when we think we don't see Him, or when things seem to be at their worst.

Romans 3:23; “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” King James Version (KJV)

My wife and I will be going to our local sunrise service, which is a blessing to me because when she and I first married she did not have Jesus Christ in her heart.  It wasn't until twenty-one years into our marriage before she put aside her flesh and reached out to Christ and asked Him into her life.  Our marriage changed instantly.  It went from the kind of relationship that most couples would have put out of its misery quickly, and became something special; and it has been growing and getting better ever since.  We still have our moments, but with Christ at the center of our lives we are changed, repaired, and happy.  

For some, Easter may simply be a reminder of life experiences so they are not so fond of the Holiday.  Perhaps they are missing someone special in their lives, or a tragedy happened during this time of year and their memories don't make them feel much like going to church.  For some it is a time of awakening, realization, or rebirth.  For others it may be a number of other things.  These are all worldly things.  For us, it must be about Him.  For God, Easter is a message to us.  Easter is about what Jesus Christ did for us on The Cross, and that He Lives, He conquered death, and He went through the horrific process so that we may have salvation from sin, and an everlasting life.

Death is a cruel and harsh thing, and for Jesus the burdens of all of the world's woes throughout history being placed upon Him was so daunting, so terrible, that He cried out, "My God, My God, Why Hast Thou Forsaken Me."  At that moment of darkness Christ was separated from the Father.  He had been beaten, and bloodied, and His Body was hung on a Roman cross on Calvary.  Jesus had even been betrayed by one of His own disciples (Judas), and Peter had denied Him three times.  Then, while his fleshly body was at its limit in bearing the pain, to add to the pain of the crucifixion, and to hasten His death, a Roman soldier thrust his spear into Jesus Christ’s side, and out of it came blood and water.

Then, the true torment of those three days began.  Separation from the Father.  Darkness.  Despair.  Death.

Then, death was conquered.

An angel came to the disciples.  "Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him." (Mark 16:6 NKJV).

They thought He was dead, yet this angel had proclaimed He Lived.

Jesus Christ faced death, and conquered death, so that we as believers do not have to be afraid of death.   Our bodies may be wearing out in life, and we may be nervous that death is on the horizon, but the Bible says we will have new bodies one day. "And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body." (Romans 8:23 KJV).

You see, our bodies are not who we are. They are simply rotting shells. The real me is my soul, my spirit. Our bodies will eventually give up and die, but our souls will live on.

He is the resurrection and the life, and if we believe in Him, though we eventually ourselves will meet death on Earth, we will live with Him in eternity.

Happy Easter, and God Bless.

-- Political Pistachio Conservative News and Commentary