Last weekend, we went through the Easter holiday and honestly, it’s one of my favorite dates of the year. I like to reflect on what brought us to celebrate this very important date.
How did it start?
Easter started long before Jesus, actually the celebration started in the book of Exodus.
Hebrews were slaves in Egypt and I believe you remember that God raised up Moses to free them. Before the Red Sea miracle happened, we know that the Lord sent the famous 10 plagues.
We started with the waters that became blood, then the frogs, the lice, the flies, the plague in animals, boils, hail, the locusts, darkness over the land of Egypt and then the tenth plague: the death of the firstborn.
God guided, through Moses, that each family of the people of Israel killed a lamb, male, just one year old, without defects, and spread the blood on the doorframes. That way, the firstborn of that house would not be harmed.
The lamb delivered in place of the first born symbolized what would become the work and sacrifice of Christ, our Paschal lamb, delivered in our place.
By Grace
Today, we celebrate Easter because we are freed from sin through Jesus, our Lord and Savior.
We were unworthy, never were and never will be, but God, in His perfect love, sent His only Son so that whoever believes in Him may not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)
“For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift ”
– Ephesians 2:8
There is nothing we can do to save us but Grace and God’s love for us.
In my church, we have Easter supper and it’s the best time in the world to think about what Christ has done for me to give me the chance to be where I am today.
Barabbas represents us
The cross at that time was custom-made. The cross to which Jesus was nailed, was not his size, but Barabbas.
According to some research I did, Barrabás means, in Hebrew, “son of the father”, “son of Abba”, and honestly? I cried a lot when the Lord began to minister in my heart.
We are children of the Father by adoption. We are Abba’s children. We were delivered from death by Christ, who was nailed to the tree in our place, on the cross that belonged to Barabbas, that belonged to us.
It’s beautiful to think about it. Matthew 27:15 says that Barabbas was a well-known prisoner, Mark 15:7 says that he was arrested with rioters who committed murder, Luke 23:19 says that he had been arrested for disturbing public order and murder and finally John 18:40 says he was a robber.
What do I mean by all this? Barabbas can be considered the worst of the worst, but you and I are Barabbas.
We may not have committed the crimes he did, but we certainly sin every day and offend God’s purity. Every day. The Father loves us and brings us close every day, even though we don’t deserve it.
Today, I don’t intend to pray with you, but I want to leave you with this reflection of how much we didn’t deserve this love, this sacrifice, but we received it anyway, by pure Grace.
Analyze your heart and talk to God today, confess your sins and repent, have this moment with your Father, who looks at you in secret.
God bless you,
Ana.
