On this day almost 2000 years ago the disciples of Jesus began a slow, methodical, genuine spread of Jesus’s teachings. After appearing to them behind closed/locked doors, they became emboldened and excited to share the good news of His resurrection with everyone they came in contact with. Jesus appears to over 500 people over the next 40 days, legitimizing the disciples claims and creating even more momentum for the spread of the Gospel. Jesus’s death on Good Friday becomes day 1. Paying the eternal penalty or punishment for our sins, He makes a way for us to be saved. While still dead on day 2, Holy Saturday would have been a confusing and irregular Sabbath celebration for the Jews in town for Passover. By tearing the veil, His death allows us to enter into and communicate with God directly. And on the third day Jesus rises from the dead. This, coupled with the first and second days of Easter weekend, combine to free us from the bondage of our sin, be in communion with God personally and rest assured of our eternal life through Jesus’s sacrifice, death and resurrection. But it’s now the fourth day. Not much is talked about or celebrated about on the fourth day. But today is the day where we have a role in the message of the good news of Jesus. While we do nothing to earn or gain our salvation, we have all been commissioned to live out the Gospel message in word and deed. So, in light of the amazingly gracious, merciful and powerful work that Christ did on the cross and in the tomb, we must be compelled to die to ourselves and live our lives sold out for Christ. We need to be willing to share our personal experience with Jesus with all those around us in real, genuine, authentic ways. Talking at people, or condemning them, or acting holier-than-thou is not what we have been called to. We are to bring others into a true, deep, meaningful relationship with Jesus, help them mature through their issues and ideas, baptize them by obedience unto Jesus, and assist them to share the Gospel message with others around them. Where are you in this journey? What are your next steps? Who can you reach out to for assistance and accountability?

To start at the beginning of the Easter/Holy Week series, click here