Easter by Timothy Bartlett

As Christians, we hear His story every year at Easter. Jesus’ betrayal, death, and resurrection are told in narrative fashion, along with some over-simplified message about how wonderful this gift of salvation is to us.

But we don’t often consider the heavy weight of God’s gift. God sent His only Son, who lived a sinless life in a sinful world, to suffer a brutal death at the hands of those He was sent to save. And, as Jesus took their sin upon Him, God Himself turned His face away from Jesus, because His holiness could not bear to see the sin His Son was carrying. So Jesus died alone, in unspeakable agony.

All so that an unaware, ungrateful human race—otherwise condemned by their fallen nature—could experience God’s original intent for them: eternal and abundant life with Him, never having to fear separation from God due to their sin.

Our salvation is a precious gift beyond price. The import of Jesus’s sacrifice is a mystery our earthly minds cannot even begin to comprehend. So while we enjoy fuzzy bunnies and delicious candy this Easter, let us rejoice in the freedom God has given us. But let us also somberly reflect upon the shedding of Jesus’s holy blood…to pay the debt we never could.