As Easter draws near, it’s a great time to explain to a friend or relative – especially one who doesn’t know Christ – the meaning behind Christ’s death and resurrection.
Kids tend to be literal. Even I was at five years old.
Hi, I’m Joni Eareckson Tada and when I was a child, I sang a lot of hymns with my family. Back then, years ago, our family favorite was “The Old Rugged Cross.” And one time I was driving with my mother in the old Buick, and we passed a big hill with a wooden cross at the top. And so, I turned to my mother and asked, “Is that the cross Jesus died on?” [I mean, why not, it looked real!] Like I said, kids can be literal, right? Okay, so, that was one hymn, but my imagination went wild the first time I heard in church everyone singing, “Up from The Grave He Arose.”
It was in the mid-1950s on an Easter Sunday, and everyone stood up in church to sing. I followed my older sisters on the first verse: “Low in the grave He lay, Jesus my Savior! Waiting the coming day, Jesus my Lord.” Okay, but my sisters caught me by surprise when they belted out the chorus: “Up from the grave he arose!” And everyone else kept singing, but I was still on those first six words. Up from the gravy he arose? I couldn’t imagine such a thing. The Lord buried in brown creamy sauce. You know, the kind Aunt Kitty served with her roast beef? This was weird! That is, until I learned to read and with reading came understanding. And when you read and understand the Bible, with it comes faith. A faith that knows how to discern the truth about things; yes, even the meaning to words of a hymn, right?
Boys and girls, what can I say – even new Christians – we need guidance. That’s why it’s helpful to take time to open the Bible and go word-by-word with someone who’s young in the faith [like I was]. “This is what this word means” and “That’s why God did thus-and-such.” It’s not unlike what happened in Acts 8 when Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. And he asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked. “How can I,” said the man, “unless someone explains it to me?” So he invited Philip to come up into the chariot and help explain the truth behind the Scripture he was reading. And you know what? As we draw closer to Easter, it’s a great time to explain to a friend or relative – especially one who doesn’t know Christ – it’s a good time to share the meaning behind Christ’s death and resurrection, whether to a child with a wild imagination, or to a neighbor or friend who doesn’t understand the events surrounding Easter.
And, oh, do I have a great resource for that. And today, it’s my gift to you. It’s called “The Easter Story.” And it’s a beautiful foldout that highlights everything that happened chronologically on those five days leading up to the crucifixion and resurrection. It goes into detail about the Last Supper, what happened in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus’s arrest, and trial and much more. And honestly, it’s a fantastic evangelism tool to help you explain the whole point behind the gospel – that Jesus died the death that we deserve so that we might live for his glory. Again, it’s called “The Easter Story” and you can ask for it at joniradio.org. Everyone knows that Easter is an important time on the church calendar, but not everyone understands what it’s all about. Well, here’s your chance to share of Christ’s death and what resurrection means with your neighbor or your friend. Just go to joniradio.org and ask for your free copy of this beautifully illustrated “Easter Story.” Because up from the grave Christ arose for the salvation of all who would but believe. God bless you today and thanks for listening!
© Joni and Friends