I usually have a smile on my face when I see people watching a movie and they cry. I sometimes ask them why they cry. Do you know the reason why I don't cry? I have learnt from experience that in film, the script writer usually have a way of making the film have a happy ending so that good prevail over evil.
I noticed this also when I watched Black Panther with friends. Even when the new King was thrown off the cliff into the water, I kept smiling because I knew the film cannot end like that. That was why I was not surprised when I realised that the King survived it and came back to his throne.
So imagine this film where the director is God and the main actor is Jesus. Those watching the film had seen Jesus perform great miracles from healing the sick to opening blind eyes, multiplying food and even raising the dead. This film must indeed be awesome. Everyone loved the actor.
All of a sudden, the scene changed, the actor was betrayed by one of his best friends (he had 12 of such best friends) and before you could sit down to take a drink and popcorn like they do in Cinemas, the actor was being dragged to be killed on a cross by the same people he had been acting for.
The film is gradually becoming something else. Could it be that the Director made a mistake somewhere? People watching as the film began to unfold began to cry. The film is not supposed to be like this Luke 23:27 And there followed him a great company of people, and of women, which also bewailed and lamented him.
Some other people either out of frustration or wanting to mock him started saying "Is this not the actor we have been watching before now that was saving and helping others? Has he lost his power to save? Luke 23:35 And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also with them derided him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God.
Some few people still believed something great can still happen but unfortunately nothing happened. He died! There were tears but the actor is dead and that ends the film. One of his friends who was a big fisherman before he met Jesus thought about the situation and he was like "... It appears I have wasted the last 3 years of my life joining this actor in this film...it is time for me to face reality and go back to my normal way of life".
If you are one of those who usually stop a film when you see the last scene, you might miss out on the greatest miracle in history. After the film ended and everyone went home feeling sorrowful knowing that there was no hope again, something incredible happened. The third day, there was a Part 2 of the film and in that part 2, the actor rose up again and that was when the real film was about to begin.
I described it like scenes from a film but it is not a film, it actually happened. Jesus came to this world in human flesh, he died on the cross and he was buried. That is great news but the best news is that he rose again the third day and because he lives again, he brought salvation to all mankind including you. (Yes, I mean you! All you need to do is to believe in him and confess him as your Lord and the real scenes of your life would begin)
Maybe you have been living in part 1 of your life. The real life you are called to live is in Part 2 after you come to the cross. The purpose of the cross was not to entertain us with a super being that could do great things... No... It was to take you from part one of your life where you were estranged from God to your real life in part 2 where you can call God your father as a result of what Jesus has done.
1 Corinthians 15:1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; 15:2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. 15:3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 15:4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
Happy Easter to you!
Jesus is alive and because he lives, we can face tomorrow!
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