Just some early morning thoughts from me to you…

“Then he said to the crowd, ‘If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but are yourself lost or destroyed?”
Luke 9: 23-25 (NLT)

“And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.’”
Matthew 28: 18-20 (ESV)

We don’t understand the why of it all—except maybe simply that God loves us.

Easter Monday, reflecting on our just-completed journey through Lent, and Holy Week this past week, and the emotional roller-coaster it presents for us.

As it did for those who experienced it first-hand over 2000 years ago.

A Holy Week and Easter story culminating in the hope of the Risen Christ of Easter. 

The Cross. Part of the story. 

The empty tomb. Still part of the story. 

The Risen Christ. More of the story.   

A personal eternal relationship with the Risen Christ. Still more of the story. 

Finally, answering the call of the Risen Christ to go and make disciples, and to touch and serve a lost and hurting world with the love and hope of the Risen Christ of Easter.

Easter reminds us that Christ came, remains, knows where we are, and walks with us through all the stuff of our lives that we face each day.

But also calls us as His followers, to go and do the same for others. 

To go with Him, and meet others at their points of need.

To lift them just high enough out of the difficulties and darkness of their days, to see the sunshine and hope that is there through the Risen Christ of Easter, for them also. 

These seem to be times unlike anything we can remember.

And we don’t understand the why of it all. 

But the message of Easter remains the same for us—no matter what we face—God loves us. And God is there with us. And God calls us to be Him for others.

Matt Redman sings the song “One Day (When We All Get to Heaven)” which paints a picture of that day when we come before Him and reflect on the life we lived with Him to lift others.

Where we will understand all we didn’t understand here, and having previously accepted Him as Savior and Lord of our life, celebrate our first step into our eternal home with Him in Heaven—

“One day You’ll make everything new, Jesus, one day You will bind every wound,
The former things shall all pass away, no more tears.
One day You’ll make sense of it all, Jesus, one day every question resolved,
Every anxious thought left behind, no more fear…
One day we will see face to face, Jesus, Is there a greater vision of grace.
And in a moment, we shall be changed, on that day.
And one day we’ll be free, free indeed, Jesus, one day all this struggle will cease,
And we will see Your glory revealed, on that day…
When we all get to heaven, what a day of rejoicing that will be.
When we all see Jesus,
We’ll sing and shout the victory.
We’ll sing and shout the victory…”

The Cross. The empty tomb. The Risen Christ. A personal relationship with the Risen Christ—our relationship, as well as others with whom we share Christ. 

Then being the hands, feet, and heart of the Risen Christ to a lost and hurting world.

Will others see the love of the Risen Christ in us? 

One Day—will we sing and shout the victory with everyone?

It will depend on the message of Easter being lived out through us every day of our lives.

Our lives today, leading to one day.

In His Name–Scott

Be blessed by the California Baptist Academy Choir singing “One Day (When We All Get To Heaven).”