Cross and Crown - Lent and Easter
Luke 24:7 – “The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.”
You can’t separate Good Friday from Easter. They belong together. You can’t have one without the other. You can’t have Good Friday without Easter and you can’t have Easter without Good Friday!
But what is this all about? Why is it so important? Look at Jesus proclaim in the verse above. The Son of Man would be crucified and rise again! Notice the “and”. Both had to happen, because both were part of God’s grace for you and for me.
Look at Jesus’ words again - “The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified…” Notice the “must” in that verse. It was necessary for Jesus to suffer and to die. It was necessary for Him to shed His blood.
The reason why has everything to do with you and with me. The reason is because of our sin, those times when we have acted out in anger toward a family member, or the times we looked the other way when a friend needed help, or the times we built ourselves up only by cutting others down.
It is sins like these and many more that led Jesus to the cross. Sin had to be punished, such was the decree of a just God. But also see the love of God in placing that punishment upon Jesus. He took your sin upon Himself and set you free. He took the punishment that was to be yours. He suffered the full brunt of Hell for you, so that you may experience the bliss of Heaven.
But Lent is not the end! Remember Jesus’ words, “The Son of Man must….on the third day be raised again.” Jesus did rise and by His resurrection God declared that He was satisfied with all Jesus had done as a sacrifice for the sins of the world. Jesus resurrection is the guarantee given to you that eternal life is yours. It is the guarantee that you also shall rise to join Him in life everlasting.
Though you pass through earthly death, it is but a sleep. Because of Jesus, your sleep will be so light and so sweet that the Lord need scarcely open His mouth before you hear Him and rise to eternal life on the last day.
Because of the comfort and assurance that Jesus’ death and resurrection gives, we see that Lent and Easter don’t last for just a month or two. It lasts all year round as every weekend reminds us of the cross and crown, the crown of life He won for you!
See you in church!
Pastor Joel T. Sauer
You can’t separate Good Friday from Easter. They belong together. You can’t have one without the other. You can’t have Good Friday without Easter and you can’t have Easter without Good Friday!
But what is this all about? Why is it so important? Look at Jesus proclaim in the verse above. The Son of Man would be crucified and rise again! Notice the “and”. Both had to happen, because both were part of God’s grace for you and for me.
Look at Jesus’ words again - “The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified…” Notice the “must” in that verse. It was necessary for Jesus to suffer and to die. It was necessary for Him to shed His blood.
The reason why has everything to do with you and with me. The reason is because of our sin, those times when we have acted out in anger toward a family member, or the times we looked the other way when a friend needed help, or the times we built ourselves up only by cutting others down.
It is sins like these and many more that led Jesus to the cross. Sin had to be punished, such was the decree of a just God. But also see the love of God in placing that punishment upon Jesus. He took your sin upon Himself and set you free. He took the punishment that was to be yours. He suffered the full brunt of Hell for you, so that you may experience the bliss of Heaven.
But Lent is not the end! Remember Jesus’ words, “The Son of Man must….on the third day be raised again.” Jesus did rise and by His resurrection God declared that He was satisfied with all Jesus had done as a sacrifice for the sins of the world. Jesus resurrection is the guarantee given to you that eternal life is yours. It is the guarantee that you also shall rise to join Him in life everlasting.
Though you pass through earthly death, it is but a sleep. Because of Jesus, your sleep will be so light and so sweet that the Lord need scarcely open His mouth before you hear Him and rise to eternal life on the last day.
Because of the comfort and assurance that Jesus’ death and resurrection gives, we see that Lent and Easter don’t last for just a month or two. It lasts all year round as every weekend reminds us of the cross and crown, the crown of life He won for you!
See you in church!
Pastor Joel T. Sauer
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