His name is Joe and he and his wife have a son they adore named Joe Jr. a first grader. Wherever Joe went, Joe Jr. was in his daddy's shadow for daddy could do no wrong in Joe Jr.’s eyes and he wanted to be just like daddy. One morning Jr., as little Joe was called, looked at his daddy and asked, “Daddy, can I go to work with you today, cause it is Saturday and I don’t have school. I want to see the trains and the boats daddy and all the pretty water. Needless to say dad was busting with pride, as MY SON wants to see what his old man does for a living. MY SON wants to see where his old man works as an engineer for the railroad. With no questions asked father and son went off to work and upon arriving at the yard the proud father put a blanket down where his son could sit right outside the control room and play in the safety out of the outside.

As the two of them sat for awhile outside the son marveled out loud as to how beautiful it was to be so high up overlooking the river and the land while feeling so close to the sky. Dad gave his shadow and twinkle of his eyes a kiss and told him, do not move from here because it could be dangerous then dad went back into the control room. While in the control room working, dad could watch his son playing on the deck before him. All of a sudden dad realized there was a train coming and the gate for the bridge for the train to cross the river on needed to be lowered. As dad went to push the button he couldn’t find his son and he looked frantically to find him as he had to lower the gate to let the train full of people cross safely to the other side. The dad looked and looked and looked and started to become frantic, as he could not find his son and he had to do something quick or two hundred lives would dive into the river and die.

THEN DAD SPOTTED THE LOVE OF HIS LIFE, HIS LITTLE SHADOW who had sneaked away from his play area and crawled down to where the gears were and was standing in the most dangerous place of all. Dad prayed, OH GOD WHY DOES THIS INJUSTICE HAVE TO HAPPEN TO SAVE THE LIVES OF PEOPLE I DO NOT EVEN KNOW? With tears in his eyes Joe Jr.’s dad pushed the button that lowered the gate. As the train with people of nationalities, beliefs, lifestyles, from all walks of life around the world crossed safely to the other side a father watched his only son die right before his very eyes... so that others may have life.

I wonder if that is how God felt... as His only Son stood before His very eyes? The pain and humility Jesus physically suffered leading up to His death, that was a mere warm-up to the real dread Jesus faced. As Jesus smelled a fowl odor not of His body but of His heart as the 'sins of all' began to build up within Him. I wonder how God felt as He watched His only beloved Son start to suffer under God’s plan for the forgiveness of our sins?

I wonder how God felt this past week when a college student came by their pastor’s office to discuss some theological issues. The pastor was thrilled for what a joy it was that someone was questioning their faith and willing to talk and grow. Eventually the conversation came around to the subject of Easter. The college student asked their pastor, “What do you think of the resurrection?” The pastor replied, “I believed that the resurrection occurred and not just in the mind of humans.” What is your evidence asked the college student? The pastor replied, “I find it hard to believe that twelve disciples made this up to put their lives on the line for a hoax.” Calmly the student replied, “I don’t know, I just don’t know? After all how could something like this happen and how could a father permit this cruelty to happen to their only child, their son?” I don’t know what to believe.

I proclaim to you on Easter 2007 what I believe as your pastor: 

I believe that God came to earth in the form of a human being named Jesus. 

I believe in Mother Mary and the virgin birth of Jesus Christ. 

I believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ because somebody told me about it when I was young. 

I believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ because it has stood the test of time. 

I believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ, because I have experienced it in reading the scriptures and in my own personal life. 

I believe that God so loved the world that He gave His only Son that whoever believeth in Him shall have eternal life. And that Jesus Christ is the way, the truth, and the life, and nobody comes to the Father except through Jesus. 

I believe my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ went to trial where he was humiliated and set up. Beat, whipped, mocked, spit upon, and then made to carry a heavy wooden cross that was a representation of our worldly human sins, to Golgotha. Where Jesus was hung to die a cruel death on the old wooden cross as Calvary. 

And, I believe in Matthew 28:1-8:

Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the sepulcher. And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone, and sat upon it. His appearance was like lightning and his raiment white as snow. And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men. But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid; for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for he has risen, as he said. Come; see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. Lo, I have told you.” So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. 

We live in a society of Curious George’s that are always seeking answers for their intellect. Not realizing that one does not say, “Resurrected Christ appear to me and I will believe”, it is just the opposite. For the resurrected Christ only appeared... appears... to those who believe. 

Matthew 28:9-10

And behold, Jesus met them and said, “Hail!” And they came up and took hold of his feet and worshipped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.”

If our greatest need had been information, God would have sent us an educator.

If our greatest need had been technology, God would have sent us a scientist.

If our greatest need had been money, God would have sent us an economist.

If our greatest need had been pleasure, God would have sent us an entertainer.

But our greatest need was forgiveness, So God sent us a Savior, Jesus Christ. 

And, the triumph of His defeat is; that they hit Jesus with whips, spit on Him, humiliated Him and with His back bleeding, His body pierced and sore, they made Jesus carry the old wooden cross, a representative of the weight of sin of this world. Then they not only nailed His feet and hands to the cross, they placed a halo of thorns on His head. To assure His death, they stuck a sword into His side. And on the third day Jesus arose. JESUS LIVES! HE LIVES! AND BECAUSE HE LIVES I KNOW THERE IS A TOMORROW. BECAUSE HE LIVES I HAVE NO FEAR. FOR LIFE IS WORTH LIVING JUST BECAUSE HE LIVES.

If you look at foot of the cross, there are the sins of many. You will see those who have done wrong, someone has gotten fed up and thrown in the towel to say enough is enough. As Jesus hung on the cross and before He took His last breath, He said to His Father, Father, forgive them for they know not what they have done.

Jesus who sat in the Upper Room with His disciples on the night of His betrayal and took the bread blessed it and said, take, eat, this is my body broken for you. Eat this often for me. And then after supper Jesus took the cup, blessed it and said, take, drink, this is my blood of the New Covenant shed for the forgiveness of many. Drink this often in remembrance of me. Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come into them and eat with them, and they with me. Jesus knocks at the door of our heart because He wants to save us and have fellowship with us. Jesus is patient, not breaking and entering, uninvited... but knocking. Allowing us to decide whether or not to open our life to him. Are you so intellectual that you cannot feel His presence in your life? 

You cannot feel His presence because you intentionally keep His 'life changing presence and power' on the other side of the door instead of opening it in faith? Do you hear Jesus knocking? Do you feel His presence in your prison cell whether real or a self imposed hell?

Alone one night in shame and despair, I looked for my help but none was there. No future... but prison, no past...  just pain. I looked in the mirror my tears... the rain. By justice condemned in time to die, my only hope God’s mercy for His grace I did cry. Then a seed planted somewhere long ago in the midst of my sorrow began to grow. This seed was Christ who died for me in jail with Jesus I am set free. No longer in hell of my sinful ways, He’s made me a new person who loves and prays. Through season’s come and holidays pass in jail with Jesus my hope does last. So I do share with you my friend in jail with Jesus its not the end!

Let us pray,

Father God, we stand in awe not just because of what we see, but because of what we believe and in our belief know to be true. Father God thank you for when Jesus arose on that third day, resurrection day, it was a signal of the end of death for those who have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ as their Lord & Savior. With Jesus death he took sin down with Him, with Jesus life He brings you Father God down to us on earth. And Father God if there is someone here at this moment that has never asked for forgiveness of their sins and accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. At this moment I invite them to join me in prayer as well as those who have prayed the sinners prayer, to reaffirm their faith in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Jesus, I admit that I am a sinner and at this very moment I ask for forgiveness of my sins and invite you; Jesus Christ, into my heart and soul for I want to no longer walk of this world but in your shoes as my Lord and savior. For Easter is about hope, about forgiveness, salvation eternal life. Which in turn gives one a sense of peace, inner peace, and a sense of purpose and mission in this lifetime that is a gift from God. Jesus, Jesus, Oh, what a beautiful name. Master, Savior, there is something about that name. For Easter Father God, is. Thank you Father God, for the Unchanging Story. JESUS IS ALIVE! HALLELUJAH HOSANNA! Amen