Date: 3/30/2010
<br>Author: Devin
<br>Title: Dont forget .....
<br><br>March 31, 2010<br><br><br>What does the week of Easter mean to you?  I suppose for most of us, especially the younger ones, the commercialized side of Easter means bunnies, eggs, chocolate, marshmallow peeps (yuck), and  perhaps a big Easter Sunday family meal.  For some it will also mean that it is time for their annual pilgrimage to a house of worship somewhere.  But of course, to the Christian, the spiritual side of Easter means so much more.  Many across the world will focus on an empty tomb during the next few days.  They will center their attention on the burial linens left behind.  They will speak of the stone rolled away and the angel proclaiming the absence of the body of Jesus Christ.  Many sermons this coming Sunday will recant the story of the resurrection of the Son of God.  Some will speak of the 40 days that followed the greatest miracle ever known to mankind.  They will tell of the eyewitness accounts of the raised Saviour.  Many will even learn this weekend where, why and how “Doubting Thomas” received such a descriptive name.  In short, Easter weekend is generally a time that has the feel of a wedding ...... happiness and joy.  But, occasionally lost in the Easter shuffle, is the fact that before there was “wedded bliss”, there was “funeral sorrow”.  With all the focus on the resurrection, we forget about the “relegation”. <br><br><br>Jesus Christ relegated his human life to the hands of an evil and cruel mob.  As we often sing, “ ..... though he could have called for ten thousand angels to come and set him free”, he chose to remain silent and experience more pain and torture than the worst criminal could ever possibly deserve.  The final week in the life of this 33 year old Deity was horrible to say the least.  He was spit on, cursed at, made fun of, and beaten.  His dear mother had to look on in agony as her son was insulted verbally and broken physically.  His followers and dearest friends in the world had to be witness to the murder of the one who had finally given them unconditional love and hope.  During this Easter season lets remember ..... had there been no occupied cross there would have been no vacated tomb.<br><br><br>Go the extra mile - Devin<br><br>      <br>