March 28, 2021
As the spring of 2021 approaches, I can’t help but notice new, living, green grass rising above the brown, drab, dead grass that has filled the landscape all winter. The Bradford pears are in full bloom and the dogwoods and redbuds will follow right on their heels. Spring reminds us that winter is only temporary. As sure as sunrise follows sunset, the new life of spring will follow the dead of winter. Let’s take this analogy and apply it to spiritual things. This upcoming week is known as “passion week”. In the life of Jesus Christ, this week will begin with His triumphal entry into Jerusalem and end with His crucifixion and burial in a borrowed tomb. Can you imagine how excited the apostles and the other disciples of Jesus must have been to witness the triumphal entry? They must have thought “Watch out Rome, here comes Jesus” or maybe “Yeah buddy, we are on the winning side. Y’all Romans don’t have any clue about what is fixing to happen” (you did know the disciples came from southern Galilee didn’t you?). Fast forward to the end of the week. It is remarkable how fast summer transitions into winter. Sometimes, winter comes so fast that it seems autumn was only in our imaginations. Make no mistake, in the minds of the Apostles and other followers of Jesus, the end of passion week was most certainly winter. The “summertime” excitement of the triumphal entry had descended rapidly into the winter horror of a crucified Lord. While summertime brought excitement, confidence and hope, winter has slammed them with death, doubt, and discouragement. All has been lost. Hope is gone…isn’t it? As we compare the “new” creation of Jesus with the first creation found in Genesis we see that in the first creation, God finished His creative work on the sixth day and on the seventh day, He rested. In the new creation of Jesus, Jesus finished His work of sacrifice and redemption on the sixth day (Friday) and He “rested” on the seventh day (Saturday). On the first day of the week (Sunday), springtime erupted with the most spectacular view. The borrowed tomb is now empty! The One who was once dead has now conquered death and is alive forever! My hope is built on the FACT of a resurrected Jesus Christ. Because He lives, I can too! Now that is a summertime to celebrate!!
Be blessed and be a blessing . . . Brother Andy