Easter 2024: The Night Before

Matthew 26:20 Now, when evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the twelve disciples.

It was Thursday night. He had walked with them, taught them, ate with them, and slept with them for three years.

They had witnessed His power…Power like they had never seen! There was nothing He could not do if He decided to do it! No food, He could make some! No boat, no problem, He would just walk on top of the water! Dangerous storm, He would just Hush it! They had no idea that His greatest Powerful work was just ahead. Power to deny self. Power to deny instinct. Power to conquer death. Power to pay a complete price for everyone’s sin…even though He Himself had no sin. Power to defeat Satan, the grave and death! Power and Authority to offer eternal life to any that would accept it.

I will discuss all of this in the coming days, but I want to stop at “deny self and instinct” today.

Jesus is the Godman, fully God and fully human. How does that work? If I could explain, I would be God. I believe what He claimed about Himself.

Being human, He possessed an ego and an instinct to survive. He did the opposite. For us! 

As He shared that last meal with His disciples, He knew exactly what was going to happen that night, into the early morning, and ending on a Cross.
 
Philippians 2:5–8…Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

Please take some moments today to ponder this Truth. All other gods in this world require you to give to them. Jesus, the Godman, has given all that He was for you, yet will not force this gift on you! You can choose to live with Him or separate from Him. He is not offering you a destination; He is offering you a life—one filled with His love, grace, and mercy. He will guide and lead you into a full experience of Life.
 
You will still be you, as He enables you to break free from the sin nature that controls all of us. When you do fail, He will help you seek restoration in fellowship and growth in maturity.

Let this be the last Easter that is about chocolate and bunnies! Let it be about a new life and a new You!