Easter Tidbits

 

Through the years, I have researched some Easter related topics for pieces I was writing. As Easter approaches once again, I thought I'd share two interesting Easter tidbits that are both poignant and powerful. 

Gethsemane

The word Gethsemane comes from the two Hebrew words, geth which means press and shemen which means oil. The process used to extract olive oil back in Jesus’ day was in two parts. First whole olives were put into a stone basin with a millstone in it. A horse or donkey was harnessed and led around in a circular motion causing the millstone to roll over the olives, cracking them. Then the cracked olives were put into a burlap bag and placed under a large stone column–a gethsemane. The enormous weight of the column squeezed the olives causing the precious oil to run out, allowing it to be collected.

 

While Jesus was in the garden of the olive press, He too felt an enormous weight of burden crushing down on him. However, Jesus’ burden was not a physical one, but a spiritual one. Yet, what did he say? “Not my will be Thine be done.” And what did he do? He went willingly to the cross to gain salvation for you and me.

 

When the olives were crushed, out came the precious, treasured oil. When Jesus was crushed, from his blood came our salvation. Look for the good things God will bring about in your time of trials.

Kidron Valley

According to John 18:1 when Jesus traveled to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray on the night before he was crucified, he crossed the Kidron valley. The Hebrew word Kidron means dark or black. The valley got its name because the temple was directly above this valley and as animals were sacrificed, their blood ran out of the temple and into the Kidron Valley, turning the ground black as it dried. Isn’t it amazing to realize that Jesus passed through this valley on his way to the cross? I wonder what went through His mind as he stepped on the black ground. I wonder, did he picture my face—and yours?

The Quotable Susan

Easter Quotes

God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."  2 Corinthians 5: 21 (NIV)

“Most of the descriptions of the victorious life do not match the reality of my own. Hyperbole, bloated rhetoric, and grandiose testimonies create the impression that once Jesus is acknowledged as Lord, the Christian life becomes a picnic on a green lawn; marriage blossoms into connubial bliss, physical health flourishes, acne disappears, sinking careers suddenly soar … The New Testament depicts another picture of the victorious life: Jesus on Calvary. The Biblical image of the victorious life reads more like the victorious limp." --Brennan Manning from his book, “The Ragamuffin Gospel”

“Grace is not cheap; it’s free. To us it is offered freely but it is not cheap. It cost Christ everything.” --John Michael (my husband)

“The cross is tiny physically but in the scope of the vastness of the universe, it dominates everything.  That is why the universe is so big –so that it can be a stage for the cross.” --Jack Miller World Harvest Missions, “Sonship” videos

“The foolishness of the cross means that ministry is essentially and irreducibly scandalous and there is nothing you can do about it. There is nothing you should try to do about it. We can’t manage scandal, we must bear it.” --Dr. Albert Mohler President of the Southern Baptist Seminary

Interesting Bible Facts about Easter

The Kidron Valley

According to John 18:1, when Jesus traveled to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray on the night before he was crucified, he crossed the Kidron valley. The Hebrew word, Kidron means dark or black. The valley got its name because the temple was directly above this valley and as the animals were sacrificed, their blood ran out of the temple and into the Kidron Valley, turning the ground black as it dried. Isn’t it amazing to realize Jesus passed through this valley on his way to the cross? I wonder what went through His mind as he stepped on the black ground. I wonder if He pictured my face–and yours?

Judas

According to Matthew 27:3-7, after Judas betrayed Jesus for just 30 pieces of silver, Judas felt remorse and tried to give the silver back to the chief priests and elders. In doing this, he threw the silver into the sanctuary of the temple. The chief priests bought a potters field with it.

Interestingly, thirty pieces of silver was the price stated in Exodus 21:33 for the life of a slave. Zechariah 11:13 foretold this: “Then the Lord said to me, ‘Throw it to the potter, that magnificent price at which I was valued by them.’ So I took the thirty shekels of silver and threw to the potter in the house of the Lord.”

Prophet, Priest, and King

Jesus He was Prophet, Priest, King, the great intercessor, the perfect lamb, fully God yet fully man. We know He was a priest and king but how was He a prophet? As a prophet, He occasionally acted in classic prophet manner. The prophets often dramatized situations. Hosea married a harlot to illustrate Israel’s infidelity, Jeremiah hid his waistband in a rock and came back to find it ruined to illustrate God’s destruction of the pride of Judah and the pride of Jerusalem (Jeremiah 13:1-8.) Just read the 4^th & 5^th chapters of Ezekiel and you will see many such dramatizations. When did Jesus act in similar prophet fashion? When He broke the bread and drank the wine illustrating his death and resurrection. This upcoming event (found in all of the gospels, see Luke 22:19-20 as one example) was not explained by a sermon as much as a drama.

 

Easter

All Through the Blood

 “In shady green pastures, so rich and so sweet,

 God leads His dear children along

where the water’s cool flow bathes the weary one’s feet,

God leads His dear children along.

Some through the waters, some through the flood,

some through the fire, but all through the blood.”

 

 (This old hymn entitled; “God leads us Along” was written by George A. Young in 1903.)

According to John 18:1 when Jesus traveled to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray on the night before He was crucified, He crossed the Kidron valley. The Hebrew word, Kidron means dark or black. The valley derived its name from the fact that the temple was located directly above this valley. As the animals were sacrificed, their blood ran out of the temple, down the hill, and onto the Kidron Valley, turning the ground black as it dried.

Isn’t it amazing to realize Jesus passed through this valley on his way to the cross? I wonder what went through His mind as he stepped on the ground, black from the blood of sacrifices. Maybe He thought of the ordeal He was about to face. Did He agonize over this? Or did he think beyond the cross to those of us whose salvation He would win because of His willing sacrifice? I wonder if He pictured my face – and yours?

“But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.” Ephesians 2:13 (NIV)

 

Easter

Matthew 27:3-7 tells the sad story of what happened to Judas after his betrayal of Jesus. As you may remember after betraying Jesus for 30 pieces of silver, Judas felt remorse and tried to give the silver back to the chief priests and elders. In doing this, he threw the silver into the sanctuary of the temple. Then he hung himself. The chief priests bought a potters field with the silver.

What are we to conclude from Judas’ actions? To quote one commentary, “Judas’remorse was not for the sin, as committed against God and Christ; but because it brought a load of present guilt and horror upon his mind, and exposed him to everlasting punishment: it was not such a repentance by which he became wiser and better; but an excruciating, tormenting pain in his mind, by which he became worse; therefore a different word is used here than what commonly is used for true repentance: it was not a godly sorrow for sin, or a sorrow for sin, as committed against God, which works repentance to salvation not to be repented of; but a worldly sorrow, which issues in death, as it did in him. It did not spring from the love of God, as evangelical repentance does, nor proceed in the fear of God, and his goodness; but was no other than a foretaste of that worm that dieth not, and of that fire which cannot be quenched: it was destitute of faith in Christ; he never did believe in him as the rest of the disciples did; see John 6:64, and that mourning which does not arise from looking to Jesus, or is not attended with faith in him, is never genuine. Judas's repentance was without hope of forgiveness, and was nothing else but horror and black despair.”

But there is another reason Judas did what he did with regards to the thirty pieces of silver - it fulfilled scripture. Zechariah 11:13 foretold this when he wrote:

“Then the Lord said to me, ‘Throw it to the potter, that magnificent price at which I was valued by them.’ So I took the thirty shekels of silver and threw to the potter in the house of the Lord.”

And what was this magnificent price at which our Savior was valued? Thirty pieces of silver was the price stated in Exodus 21:33 for the life of a slave. That’s the message of Easter, that the King of Kings and Lord of Lords who sits at the right hand of the Father and who has been lifted up above all things on Heaven and on earth, lowered Himself and gave of himself for you and me. His life was valued as that of a slave, His body was broken and His blood spilled out so that unlike Judas, we can believe in Him and know true forgiveness of our sins.

Easter

“But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came to the tomb, bringing the spices which they had prepared. And they found the stone rolled away, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord. And it happened that while they were perplexed about this, behold, two men suddenly stood near them in dazzling apparel; and as the women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, ‘Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but He has risen.’” Luke 24:1-6

He is Risen!

Rev. Adediran had been a pastor for 30 years when he came to Oke Lerin Baptist Church in the Nigerian city where my parents served as missionaries. The members of this church got a bargain! They hired Rev. Adediran for less money than they otherwise would have paid because he was retired. Retired or not, he served at Oke Lerin - for another 29 years! Rev. Adediran was in the ministry for 59 years and only served two churches.

When his wife died, all who knew them suffered a great loss. My parents attended Mrs. Adediran’s funeral. Inside the church, a crowd had gathered. Some were sitting in pews while others stood around in small groups talking quietly. Church members were there as well as other people from the town. My mother began to cry as she entered the church.

Seeing my parents from a distance, Rev. Adideran approached them quickly. With urgency in his voice, he told my mother, “My sister, do not cry! The people will see you! Some here are not believers. We have said that death is different for believers. We have a hope! My wife is in a better place. She is with her Savior! You and I know that - but if the people see your tears, they will think we do not really believe what we tell them. They will think we have no hope.”

But we have a hope! Our hope is in Jesus. Praise God – the tomb was empty!!

“The perishable must put on imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortal…then will come about the saying, ‘O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?”(1st Corinthians 15: 53, 54b NASB)

EASTER

In honor of Easter and to gain a better understanding of what the season is all about, I am posting, with permission, a piece written by my husband, John R. Michael.

What is a “Born Again” Christian?

Have you wondered what the term “born again” means? Are you thinking about becoming a Christian yourself, but aren’t sure what it’s all about? Many people consider themselves to be Christians simply because they go to church, or because they try to be nice to people, or perhaps because they don’t belong to some other religious group. Sometimes such people are referred to as “cultural” Christians, meaning they tend to agree with traditional Judeo-Christian values. But this isn’t the same as being a genuine, born again Christian.

While some people incorrectly assume they are Christians because of their heritage or upbringing, other people think they can’t be a Christian because they grew up in some other religious tradition -- Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, or something else. But that’s not correct. For example, there are many Christian Jews (also known as Messianic Jews), and their number is increasing every day. And every year, thousands of Muslims are embracing Christianity after reading the Injeel – the New Testament – which is one of the sacred books of Islam. So, a person’s ethnicity or religious heritage does not determine whether he can or cannot be a born again Christian.

We are often uncomfortable talking about spiritual matters, because we consider these things to be personal. They are personal. But they are very important. Our spiritual condition and beliefs will ultimately determine how we live our lives, and what happens to our souls when this life is over.

So what is a born again Christian?

In a nutshell, to be “born again” means you are born first physically, and then later, you are also born spiritually. You enter into an eternal, spiritual relationship with God, through faith in His son, Jesus Christ. What is it about Jesus Christ that we are to have faith in? That will be explained in a moment. For now, consider this: We are told by Jesus in the Scriptures, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” John 3:3

Here are 4 key principles found in Scripture to help you understand how a person becomes born again and enters into this eternal relationship with God.

Principle #1. God's Nature: Loving and Holy

God loves you. He wants to bring you into an eternal relationship with Himself. Let’s look again at the verse mentioned above. Jesus said, “Truly, truly I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God...That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” John 3:3,6 Because God loves you, He wants you to be “born again”...to have a spiritual birth as well as a physical birth.

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through Him.” John 3:16-17 God loves you, and wants to save you from eternal condemnation for your sins. He wants you to live eternally with Him in heaven.

God also wants you to have a full, abundant, and meaningful life on this earth. Jesus says,

“…I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.” John 10:10,11

Verses like these teach us that God is loving, and wants us to pursue a fulfilling life through a relationship with Him. But Scripture not only teaches that God is loving. It also declares that God is Holy (set apart from worldliness; characterized by absolute moral perfection). In Leviticus 19:2 God says, “You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy.” The problem is that while God is holy – we are NOT holy. In fact, we are unrighteous sinners. If left in this sinful condition, we cannot be in a relationship with God. We see this more clearly in principle #2…

Principle #2. Your Nature: Selfish and Sinful

“There is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23

Everyone is a sinner, even you.

“For the wages of sin is death…” Romans 6:23. The penalty for sin is spiritual death, and eternal separation from God.

Even the good things that we are proud of are not adequate to make us righteous in God’s eyes. “We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.” Isaiah 64:6

Our “righteous” good works are like dirty clothes compared to the holiness and perfection of God, and they are completely insufficient for bringing us into an eternal relationship with Him.

What are some examples of good works that people hope will “earn” God’s favor? Do you go to church or synagogue? Give money to charities? Are you kind to people? Sincere? Do you try to keep the Ten Commandments, or the Golden Rule? Despite your good intentions, none of these “good works” is sufficient to solve your sin problem. “For by works of the law no human being will be justified in His sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.” Romans 3:20 In other words, God’s laws and commandments don’t make us righteous; rather, knowledge of God’s standards helps us realize that we don’t measure up. We see that we are sinners, and separated from God.

So, if even our best efforts are insufficient to make us right before God, what hope do we have?

The answer is in principle #3…

Principle #3. God's Solution: Faith in Jesus Christ

Scripture teaches that faith in Jesus Christ is the key to our eternal relationship with God.

Let’s look again at John 3:16. “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son (Jesus Christ), that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.” Many people are at least generally familiar with this verse, but often haven’t thought seriously about its application to them. But this is a profound truth: Whoever believes in Jesus Christ will have eternal life!
The critical question is, what does it mean to “believe in” Jesus Christ?

Do we simply believe the historical fact that He lived on the earth? What is it about Christ that we are to believe, or have faith in? And how does this faith solve our sin problem?

Here are two key scripture references that address these questions:

“…All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by His grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forth as a propitiation by blood, to be received by faith.”Romans 3:23-25

“For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person – though perhaps for a good person one would even dare to die – but God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by His blood, much more shall we be saved by Him from the wrath of God.” Romans 5:6-9

We see that our righteousness comes not from ourselves, but from God. Even though we are sinners and unworthy, He gives us this gift of righteousness when we have faith (trust) in Jesus Christ. But what is it about Christ that we are to have faith in? We are to trust in the sacrifice of atonement that Jesus made for us when He died on the cross. Jesus atoned for, or "paid", the penalty for our sin when He bled, suffered and died. We deserve to suffer and die for our own sins, but Jesus Christ did that for us. He lived a pure and sinless life, yet He substituted Himself for us, receiving the punishment for sin that we deserve. As Romans 3:25 puts it, the shedding of Christ’s blood was the “propitiation” for our sins. That means Christ’s bloody suffering and death satisfied the righteous demands of God, whose holiness requires punishment for sin. When we trust (have faith in) this sacrificial work that Jesus performed for us on the cross, God’s requirement for punishment is satisfied, and He no longer counts our sins against us.

In summary, salvation is not something we deserve or can earn. It is something God did for us, through Christ's blood atonement on the cross. And while salvation is a free gift from God, a response is required from us. This gift is “to be received by faith.” Romans 3:25 It is a conscious choice, a decision to trust in Christ’s sacrifice for our salvation, and to enter into a life-changing relationship with the living God. Let’s look at the fourth principle to understand the implications of this “new birth”, and the changed life.

Principle #4. The Supernatural Result: A Changed Life

Remember what the scriptures told us in the passage above, in Romans 3:25 – this gift is “to be received by faith.” This is an active faith. It’s a conscious decision to trust the blood sacrifice of Christ for your righteousness. If you have made a decision to accept this gift by faith, your sins – past, present, and future – are forgiven and cancelled completely. Your sin no longer separates you spiritually from God, because Christ’s sacrifice has wiped your slate clean and brought you into an eternal relationship with Him. You are given a new beginning, a spiritual re-birth. You are “born again”, a child of God, a new creature. Because you are now a child of God, He gives you His Holy Spirit to indwell you, to become part of your life. The Holy Spirit helps you understand God’s will and purposes as revealed in Scripture, and helps you change into the person God wants you to be. Lets look at some Scripture verses that describe this changed life.

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” II Corinthians 5:17

“Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.”I Corinthians 6:20

“…Those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you.” Romans 8:5-9

“For it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.” Philippians 2:13

So, we see here that God’s Holy Spirit gives you both the desire and the ability to live in a way that pleases God. A changed life is the result, (not the cause) of salvation. Remember, we can’t “work for” or “earn” our salvation…it’s a gift from God. But when we accept this gift by faith, we begin a new relationship with God, and He gives us His Holy Spirit to indwell us and make us new from the inside out. The Spirit guides us into new, God-oriented desires and priorities. The changed life that focuses on pleasing God is the outward evidence that a person is born again.

How about you? Have you been trusting in your own “good works”? Maybe you’re like a lot of people… you sincerely try to be a good person, maybe you even attend church or synagogue regularly. But if you are honest, you would have to admit you don’t really know God. He hasn’t been the center of your life. And you don’t know with confidence that someday, when this life is over, you will spend eternity in Heaven.

Do you sense that God is working in your heart, bringing you to faith in Christ? Are you ready to start a new life, to be “born again”? If so, talk to God about it. Here’s a sample prayer:

Dear God,

I realize I have failed to love and serve you with my life. I have made many mistakes, and I have many faults. I am certainly an imperfect person. I acknowledge that I am guilty of falling far short of your perfection. The Bible calls these shortcomings “sin”, and I confess that I am indeed a sinner. In my present condition, I have no hope of being in a relationship with you. In fact, I agree with Scripture that my sin deserves eternal punishment…I am condemned to a state of eternal separation from you…this is what the Bible calls hell. In my present condition, I realize this is my ultimate destination.

But right now, I accept by faith that Jesus Christ died on the cross for me…that when He suffered and bled on that cross, He took my punishment on Himself. And I accept by simple faith the promise of Scripture – that the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses me from all my sin, and allows me to stand before you in complete righteousness. Not my own righteousness, but the righteousness of Christ. Thank you for this free gift of salvation. Thank you for allowing Jesus Christ to be my personal Savior.

I trust that I am now your child – a true child of the living God. I ask you to change my life, so I can become more pleasing to you…not to earn the salvation that you have just freely given me, but as a loving response to that wonderful gift. Help me find a church that honors you and your Scriptures. Help me learn how to study and understand the Bible. And help me seek out other born again, Christian friends who can help me grow in my relationship with you.

Did you pray something like this? Did you mean it? Simply saying these words isn’t the point – God knows our hearts. But if your prayer is genuine, welcome to the world-wide community of born again Christians!

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Written by John R. Michael, Louisville, KY Revised 7/3/08
Scripture quotes taken from the English Standard Version (ESV)

Please feel free to copy or forward this piece as often as desired. While minor improvements or enhancements are encouraged, if the substance of the material is changed in a meaningful way, please remove my name from the revised document. Thank you. JRM