Don't let the cheering stop!

The value and purpose of Easter differs depending upon one's age. For example, a child will see the Easter season's value and purpose to be all about bunnies, egg hunts, easter baskets and candy. Well, at least I did when I was a child. The closer we get to Easter, I find myself thinking about the death and resurrection of Jesus. The purpose of his life was to offer himself as a sacrifice for the sins of mankind. The Bible says that Jesus became sin for us so that we could be forgiven and found righteous in God's sight (2 Corinthians 5:21). Jesus was so certain of His purpose that He prophesied when and how He would die (Matthew 26:2).

Last Sunday was Palm Sunday, in recognition of when Jesus came riding into Jerusalem on a donkey and the crowd cheered for Him and waved palm branches and laid them down at His feet. People were cheering for Him but Jesus knew the desire of their hearts. He knew they were seeking a conquering king to build an army and lead a revolt to set them free from the oppression of the Romans. They didn't recognize the purpose of why Jesus had come. They missed it. When they realized that Jesus was not coming to lead this revolt, the cheering stopped.

That is somewhat the way we are at times. We have our eyes on our own circumstances rather than the condition that our heart is in and we miss God's purpose in our lives. Jesus did come to give them relief of oppression but it was not in the way they thought. He came to forgive their sins.

Giving your life to Christ has to be done on His terms. The Jewish people didn't want to accept the terms that Jesus had set before them. They didn't like the fact that He told them in Luke 14 to "take up thy cross and follow me" or to "count the cost" of salvation. They wanted to set the terms themselves but Jesus had already laid everything out to them and still they refused, and the cheering stopped.

This Easter let us recognize God's purpose in our lives and accept Him on His terms. He is the resurrected King! Don't let the cheering stop!

Join us at The Ridge Community Church and let's worship the resurrected King together!

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Editor's note: David Austin is the lead pastor of The Ridge Community Church in Pea Ridge. He can be contacted at [email protected].