The First Life Jesus Died For.

As I contemplate writing some profound, possibly world changing piece of Easter literature, my mind keeps being drawn back to what Easter really means. To those who would claim Christ as their own, it is a time of celebration at the completion of His redeeming work defeating death. What about the other guys. What are they celebrating? In reality this celebration is one that Christ's followers should hold to, and those who do not accept Him as Lord and Saviour have no capacity to understand the nature of the celebration. This in no way means that all people are not welcome in God's presence, it just means that they might not grasp the profound importance of this event. There is actually no way to understand this event unless you travel back 3 days earlier to when Jesus made himself the substitute for all sin. It is at the point that the unsaved man or woman can begin to comprehend what the Resurrection means. Without the death, there is no rising again. Seems simple enough, doesnt it? If you are in the catergory of not really understanding the Resurrection, don't feel alone, we were ALL there at one time. It is not that far away from you either. Let me share a story from the Bible that might give you clarity on the choice that lies in front of you. When Jesus was first captured, the people were given a choice betwen Jesus, a man who had committed no crime, but had upset the powers that be by making claims that they could not comprehend and a common criminal. They chose to set the criminal free. Like most human beings, they feared what they could not understand and they chose to rid themselves of the threat of Jesus instead of actually trying to understand His words. I caution you, do not be like these men. Try to understand the message of Jesus before you cast Him away. The second man the people could choose to set free was a notorious criminal and all around scoundrel Barrabas. The people chose to free the criminal that they knew and understood instead of freeing the man they could not understand. My question for you is what do you think Barrabas did at this point? Did he stand there, in front of crowds of angry people, some of who may have been his victims, or did he accept the gift of his freedom? What semi intelligent human being would choose bondage when the road to freedom lay in front of them. We receive no word from the Bible that Barabbas chose to remain in prison. We can only assume that he had enough sense to trade his life for the life that was offered to him. A single man remained in front of that crowd. A man who had every right to go free, but was sacrificed so that this man, Barabbas, who had nothing worthwile in him could go free. This same offer is being made to you today. You stand there on the stage, next to a battered and beaten Jesus. He looks at you and you know His gaze is asking you if you will choose His freedom or a life of bondage. Do you shake the shackles from you hands, or do you turn to the jailer and slowly make your way back to your cell? I implore you, choose the way of life. Make the sacrifice count for you. Do not let the battered and beaten Jesus go to your death having done so in vain. Take the freedom that is offered you, run from what has caused your imprisonment and breathe the fresh air of a new life. Make this Easter different than any other you have experienced. Jesus did indeed rise again, take advantage of today to rise with Him.