Easter and the Holy Week preceding it is a particularly sacred time for Christians. Each scene from the Holy Bible is to be likened unto ourselves now - in our time and place. Palm Sunday celebrated the triumphal entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem all those many years ago. Many people occasioned by waving branches of palm in the air. Place yourself in that scene and gauge where you would stand. Would you be skeptical? Would you be waving the palm? Would you feel unworthy and stand off? Its interesting to superimpose yourself into certain scenes, yet that is the inspiration of holy scripture - to connect our spirit with the Spirit of God. Now that you’ve placed yourself on that Palm Sunday where will you stand at the Lord’s Second Coming?
Another observance during Holy Week is Good Friday. It is the widely accepted observance of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. The mark when Jesus was scourged, stretched and gave up the ghost. I bring your attention to this span of time starting here leading up to Easter, or the Resurrection of our Lord and Savior.
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The splendor of the Savior’s life continued during those three days his body lay entombed. Yet, for Latter-day Saints we feel a particular kinship with this median of time. 1 Peter 4:6 gives us a glimpse of the mercy of God in His judgements of his children. He placed the capstone on the foundation of true liberty. He tended to the billions who have departed this life into the interim of spirits as they wait for their appointed resurrection. This includes the vast numbers who never heard the name Jesus Christ. With power and authority he organized the great mission effort among the dead to prepare them to receive the gospel message. This, as they are afforded the liberty to accept or reject those gospel ordinances which can only be done on the earth (1 Corinthians 15:29). Through that ministry which continues today among the departed, all may be rightly judged through the deeds in the flesh but live according to God in the spirit.
Another scene from the Holy Week is Christ’s condemnation before his countrymen and the empire. Pilate found no reason to condemn him, yet to succor the people he used a traditional practice to grant amnesty to a prisoner whose place Jesus was to take. Who is Barrabas? Who is he really? Is he not each and every one of us? Barrabas’ life was spared and paid for through the blood of the Lamb, Jesus Christ. We know almost nothing of Barrabas after his prison release (Mark 15:7). Did he flee? Did he go and fill his belly with worldly sustenance? Or, did his time in prison quench his spirit just enough for him to stay at the gates and look on at the One who would die in his place?
Each one of us and, yea, even all creation have been spared from, what could’ve been eternal effects, of the Fall by the Atonement of Jesus Christ. By accepting those baptismal covenants we are purchased by His blood (Acts 20:28). How do we rate our daily allegiance to Jesus Christ? Do we consistently flee after worldly desires in the wake of the gift we’ve been given? Do we stand at the gate, silent, as our Savior is put to an open shame? Though already striped do we not run to help bear up the burden of the cross which is now upon our shoulders? Who’s on the Lord’s side, who?
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We read in John 20:7 that the napkin that was about the head of Jesus in the tomb was neatly folded by itself when discovered by Simon Peter. Why is this so significant to include in the Holy Bible. Understand the master/servant relationship in the ancient Hebrew culture. If the master wadded up his napkin prior to leaving the table it was a sign that he was done. However, if the napkin was seen folded on the table and the master was not present then the servant wouldn’t think to dare to clean the table. Why? Because that folded napkin was a sign that the master was coming back. Make no mistakes brethren and sisters - the Master and Redeemer of the world is coming back.
Easter is a celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. In a pivotal scene the Master, our Advocate, conquered the sting and chains of death. He is the first Resurrection. The first to have his spirit and body reunited never to be separated again. This was key in the eternal progression of all God’s children for we cannot achieve exaltation without our perfected bodies. 1 John 3:2 states that we will be like him when he returns. If we are joint-heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17) than our path is to be like unto his. That is, spiritually born in the presence of the Father. This precedes born into mortality, with a physical body of flesh and bone after achieving our First Estate. In Genesis 3:22 it is declared that man has become “as one of us.”
Death is a step that all of us must endure. The separation of body and spirit, that the spirit may eventually take up their renewed and perfected tabernacle of flesh and bone. This - in direct credit and reverence to the Atonement of Jesus Christ. That through him we may not only have the gift of repentance but also the liberty, through our choices, to return to the Father and inherit those eternal blessings. The mere opportunity afforded us through the Atonement to once again be encompassed with the arms of our Father in Heaven is reason enough to celebrate the living Christ not only on Easter, but at all times of the year.
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The existence of Jesus Christ is one eternal round. His life and ministry prior to his death is equally as important as the life and ministry after his Resurrection. Jesus Christ lives, and ongoing communication takes place to the people of the world, that the world may prepare the way for His coming. Worship the living Christ that you may more fully understand, appreciate and reverence the depth of the Atonement of Jesus Christ.
I give you two items gifted to you through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. I want you to ponder them in your heart at this season. They are:
- Liberty - Jesus Christ stripped all bands of captivity in relation to salvation. Through the Atonement we can fully realize the fruits of our good choices in mortality. The end result cannot be matched - to return unto our Father in Heaven and inherit those mansions we’ve built with the Father. Liberty is a universal truth through which all life can be magnified to its full measure.
- Bridge - Man was cut off from the Father as part of the Plan of Salvation. The Only Begotten of the Father was offered and sacrificed to atone for the sins of the world. This was also part of the Plan of Salvation. Through the blood of the Lamb the bridge was built and paved back to the Eternal Father. Not only can we walk across it if worthy, but through the Resurrection of Jesus Christ we can now walk it with pure and perfected bodies of flesh and bone - never again to be separated from our spirits.
I bear solemn witness and testimony of the Father and the Son. I know that he lives! I know that our works here will determine in large part our inheritance hereafter. Life is about faith and loss. We are given our trials and tribulations that we may have the liberty to take the initiative of greater faith to overcome. Through the refiner’s fire we may prove ourselves worthy to kneel with humbled confident before the feet of Jesus Christ and our Eternal Father in Heaven.
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