Easter Morning and the Gospel

I'm listening to the thunderstorm outside my little home this Easter morning. I don't know why but I love thunderstorms and the rain. The weather displays so much of God's power and it's right in front of me every day!

The morning is still new here. My clock reads 7:29am. I'm going on 4 hours of sleep but there's no where else I would rather be right now. (Well...maybe Hawaii, but that's unrealistic at the moment.) Everyone is still tucked in their beds sleeping. I can hear Steven's alarm going off at this very minute. (Hmmm...must've been set for 7:30.) I can smell the sweet aromas of the strata I just pulled out of the oven for our Easter breakfast. I can rest in a clean and quiet house before the children awake. The table is set. The dishes are done. The bread is rising. The rain is pitter pattering. My eyes are heavy. The laundry is unfolded on the couch. I have fabric in my hands to finish the girls' pins.

I love mornings. I love knowing that everyone is safe in my home and resting. I love having quiet minutes to myself to think clearly and coherently, to write, to read, to clean, to craft, to pray, to reflect, to look forward...these are the times when I want to freeze time. Rest in the goodness of the Lord on this Easter morning.

The Lord just convicted me to share the gospel on here last night while I was trying to sleep. Maybe I need to read it again and see its simplicity. Maybe you need to read it. Maybe we need to share it more.

I find that in our culture most people know about Jesus' death on the cross. What I find just as often, is that people don't know why. Here's the gospel. Plain and simple.

We need a Savior. We are all sinners. No exceptions.

"For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God." Rom. 3:23

Heaven is a real place. Heaven is perfection and no tiny drop of sin is allowed in to destroy that. Hell is a real place. So real that the rich man in the Old Testament begged Lazarus for just a drop of water to cool his tongue because he was " in agaony in this fire". You can deny it. But Heaven and Hell are the only options after death.

Matthew 25:41 - "Then He will say to thos eon His left, "Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels."
Luke 16:23 "And in hell he opened his eyes up in torment..."
Matthew 25 - "Then the King will say to those on His right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world."

We need a Savior. And He - Jesus Christ - the perfect, sinless, spotless, Son of God came to earth as an innocent baby for one simple reason: to be our servant on the cross. He took the punishment for our sin on that rugged cross. No other could do it but Him. And He did. He died on that cross for me. For you. His blood washed away my sin.

John 3:16 - "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son that whosever believeth in Him should not perish. but have everlasting life."

His only stipulation? I must stop counting on anything else to get me to heaven, and put my faith and trust on His death on the cross. I must repent from sin. Turn from it. Ask for His forgiveness and trust that He paid it all when He died on that cross. When I die and stand before the judgement seat of Christ. I can humbly yet boldy say, "Because of your Son, Lord. That's why you should let me into heaven."

And praise God that Jesus didn't stay dead! He rose from the tomb after being dead for 3 days and that is why we celebrate Easter. I can't think of a more exciting thing to celebrate. He defied death and we can know we're on our way to heaven! I pray that you, my reader, know Him as your personal Savior like I do. I plead with you to see His death and resurrection for what it is: the simple plan of salvation.