Surprise!
Last week I was invited to a local school to be part of their Easter Assembly. I took half a dozen regular eggs with me. I cracked one open, to show they were real, then invited a child to catch another, in front of the whole school!
The willing volunteer came up, and we spread out, one to each side of the hall. After a big countdown, I threw the egg high into the air for her to catch… and she did! Everyone cheered and the staff were relieved.
I then revealed that the egg I threw was not real, but a fake rubber egg! This was a surprise – just like the first Easter…
We are in the middle of ‘Holy Week’. It’s the time when many Christians, all around the world, track the last week of Jesus’ life.
There was a lot going on for Jesus. He had made his way to Jerusalem and caused quite a commotion! It was like the biggest celebrity coming to town. This was a surprise.
He went into the Temple and stopped the corrupt money changers and traders, reminding them that the Temple was a place of prayer – a place to meet with God. This was a surprise.
He shared the big Jewish Passover with his closest friends and refocused this important meal on himself when they ate bread and drunk wine. This was a surprise.
He was arrested, wrongly convicted, tortured, and sentenced to death on a Roman cross, where he died a horrific painful death. This was a surprise.
A few days later some close friends went to the tomb where Jesus body was laid, but when they got there, they met and angel who said…
“Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said.”
This was a big surprise! God had raised Jesus to life! From that moment, the world has never been the same. Don’t just take my word for it. Ask the 2.38 billion Christians around the world! That’s approximately 1/3 of the globe’s population.
Jesus is alive and well. This Easter Jesus offers you a fresh start, new hope, a relationship with God that can start now and last into eternity, if you believe in him.
Is this a surprise? If it is, why not try Alpha: a course which explores the Christian faith. We are running this at our church, starting Wednesday 12 April. Why not join us? All the details can be found at www.hopebasingstoke.org/alpha
God bless you :)
Gary Bastin - Hope Community Church leader