Easter

“When somebody predicts their own death and resurrection and pulls it off, we should go with whatever that person says.”

Andy Stanley said that a few years ago and it’s become one of my favorite thoughts around Easter.

We’ve become so complacent about Easter.

Jesus rose from the dead. Ho hum.

Jesus was executed, as predicted by several prophets as far back as 1000 years before He was born. Then, after three days in a grave, He comes back and is seen by around 500 people over the next 40 days.

That’s historical fact, not just something religious people like to talk about.

That means Jesus was, in fact, the Son of God, the Savior of the World, the Messiah, or He was the greatest magician and con man to ever live.

One or the other.

Some people like to say Jesus was a great person, or something like that. But if you are being honest with yourself you can’t stop there. You have to take it to it’s next place. Because if He was not the Son of God…yet he spent three years pretending to be, then He was a con artist. All those miracles? Just parlor tricks.

A good man wouldn’t deceive thousands of people in the name of God. Others have tried, and we don’t call them good people.

That leaves one other option: He was actually who He said He was. And his death and resurrection were real and for a purpose.

According to those prophets I mentioned, and according to Jesus himself, his death and resurrection were an atonement for you and me. We aren’t good enough, clean enough, smart enough, anything enough to get into the next most-important part of our existence without this sacrifice. This gift.

That’s what I think about on this Good Friday.

It seems strange to call it good, doesn’t it? What happened to Jesus was anything but good. But what it accomplished is good.

Good Friday is only “good” because of what happened on Sunday. Jesus rose from the dead, conquering sin and death and offering eternal life to those who believe.

I challenge you to consider where you stand on this, and not just casually go through this Easter weekend enjoying chocolate bunnies.

Was Jesus a con man? Or is He who He said He was? There is no other option.

Arriving at the answer will be the most important decision of your life.

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It seems weird to say this but we are going to be away on vacation next week. Why does a retired guy need a vacation? I don’t know. But Julie and Mary need one, so we’re going on our first ever cruise. I’m giddy.

But that means I will be silent on here all of next week. Thanks for subscribing to this daily whateveritis. It really does mean a lot to me. See you in a week!