Thought for the week

EASTER is so much more than chocolate eggs, daffodils and holidays.

Easter is a story of love, of God’s love, but where was love that first Easter?

Jesus was betrayed by one of his own disciples, arrested and led away to be tried, accused of lawbreaking by false witnesses. The other disciples deserted him.

Manipulation and people power determined his fate. Soldiers took Jesus away to be crucified and, in agony, he died.

The sins of jealousy, prejudice, hate, injustice and deceit nailed Jesus to the cross. They are our sins too and sin separates us from God.

By offering himself to be put to death in place of every person, Jesus made it possible for people to be reunited with God. This was God’s loving intervention through his Son for us.

But death was not the end! God raised Jesus to life. Three days after Jesus died, some friends went to his tomb and found it empty.

An angel there said: ‘Don’t be afraid, He isn’t here, He is risen!’

They hurried from the tomb to tell the disciples. Suddenly, Jesus met them and greeted them; he was alive!

Jesus defeated sin and death for us and we can share his risen life by placing our trust in God. Jesus is God’s gift of victorious love, giving us life and hope.

‘God gave Jesus to die for our sins, he raised him to life, so that we would be made acceptable to God’ Romans 4 v25