The More One Learns about the Passion and the Resurrection, the Deeper His Faith Grows - Let us once again embrace the Lord of the Resurrection
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April 04, 2010 |
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Easter is a feast commemorating the Resurrection of Jesus who died on the cross but rose from the dead on the third day. Through His destruction of the authority of death and through His resurrection, those of us believing in His Resurrection can partake in the hope of our own resurrection.
The Passion
Following the Last Supper, Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane to pray for the providence of salvation He was about to fulfill. There, by the betrayal of Judas Iscariot, Jesus was arrested and taken to Jerusalem. After interrogating Him through the night, the high priests decided to accuse Jesus of treason against Rome and have Him killed.
In the end, Pontius Pilate sentenced Jesus to death and Jesus became subject to mockery and torture at the hands of the Roman soldiers. After bearing the cross to Golgotha amidst countless onlookers, Jesus was crucified (Mark 15:25; Luke 23:26-33).
The Crucifixion
The duration during which Jesus was hung on the cross and died was about six hours (from 9 o'clock in the morning to 3 in the afternoon). Wearing a crown of thorns and having been flogged, Jesus was nailed in His hands and feet, and spilled all of His water and blood after having been pierced on His side. In order to redeem us from our sins, Jesus offered Himself to God as an atoning sacrifice.
The Resurrection and the Ascension
After confirming Jesus' death, the Roman authorities handed the body of Jesus to Joseph of Arimathea and permitted him to bury Jesus (Luke 23:50-54).
High priests and the Pharisees, remembering Jesus' words that He would be raised from the dead on the third day, sealed His tomb with a large stone and placed guards by the tomb. As He had promised, Jesus rose from the dead on the third day. Following His Resurrection and during the 40 days afterwards, Jesus revealed Himself to many people.
As Christianity is also called "a religion of resurrection," Jesus' Resurrection is at the heart of the Christian faith. Moments before His Ascension, the Lord commanded His disciples to "be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth," told them to await the coming of the Holy Spirit, and ascended into heaven.
Biblical Evidence of the Resurrection
At the dawn on the third day following Jesus' burial, Mary Magdalene and other women came to Jesus' tomb with spices to anoint Him. However, they found that the extremely large stone that was in the way of Jesus' tomb had been rolled away and the tomb empty. Surprised, they entered the tomb but did not find Jesus' body.
When the women were perplexed, angels appeared before them and told them of Jesus' Resurrection (Matthew 28:1-7; Luke 24:1-7). The women informed the disciples, who also found the tomb empty and then returned home (Luke 24:10-12; John 20:1-10). However, Mary Magdalene wept outside Jesus' tomb and there, she became the first person to come face to face with the Lord after His Resurrection.
Afterwards, the Lord manifested Himself to two of His disciples on their way to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-35), and He dined with His disciples at the Sea of Tiberias (John 21:1-14). In addition, the Lord appeared to more than 500 brothers at one time and to James as well.
The Significance of the Resurrection
If Jesus had not resurrected, the spreading of the gospel is an act of lying, our faith worthless, and we "are of all men most to be pitied." However, as Jesus rose from the dead according to God's Word and became the first fruits of those who are asleep, "For as in Adam all die,so also in Christ all will be made alive" (1 Corinthians 15:20-22). Therefore, the Resurrection declares Jesus Christ the Son of God (Romans 1:4) and is the fulfillment of the prophecy on the Resurrection (Luke 24:46). Furthermore, it gives the believers a conviction of forgiveness of their sins and a hope of faith (1 Corinthians 15:17).
* The Holy Week
The week prior to Easter Sunday is called the Holy Week. During the week that begins on Palm Sunday, believers mediate on the Passion and remind themselves of the love of the Lord. On the Friday on which Jesus was crucified, it is recommended that believers fast for at least a meal.
* Easter
 
 
Sacrament on Easter
Sacrament includes baptism and Communion. At Manmin Central Church, baptism takes place one week prior to Communion, which in itself takes place at Easter and the Feast of the Harvest, and on Thanksgiving Day. In commemoration of the love by which He died on the cross and shed His blood for us, the congregation eats bread and drinks grape juice. It is a ceremony that also reminds us the believers of the kind of lives in Christ they are to receive eternal life.
Eggs at Easter
At every Easter, members at Manmin Central Church share the news of the Lord of the Resurrection with their neighbors and share the joy of Easter with one another by distributing beautifully decorated boiled eggs.
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