Dear Friend,
I just wanted to wish you a Happy Easter and share with you a piece from my folder that I came across that was written in 2010. The thoughts come under the heading ‘The greatest’. Apparently it was written by a fiery Welsh preacher. To me it conveys the Easter message and I offer it to you as part of your Easter deliberations.
John 3:16 ‘God so loved the world that he gave his only Son so that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life’
God . . . the greatest possible person to show his love to anyone. God, the almighty creator of life, the universe and everything, and for whom nothing is impossible. It is He who loves us.
. . . so loved . . . the greatest possible love. We do our best to love people, but our love has limits, we run out. Not so with God. His love is deeper in its riches, more wide reaching, and longer in endurance than any love we can give or experience. It is the greatest love the world has ever known.
. . . the world . . . the greatest possible audience. Travel the face of this planet, from East to West and North to South; go from the heights of luxury or charity to the depths of despair or depravity; discover the most worthy or unworthy person and place yourself somewhere in this list. There is no one who is beyond the reach of God’s love – it embraces the greatest possible audience for it is made available to all.
. . . that he gave his only Son . . . the greatest possible sacrifice. The only perfectly faultless person ever to set foot on this planet, the only Son of God, laid down his very life for the sake of a broken and rebellious world. More than mere agonising heroism, God surrendered his Son to the humiliation and isolation of a wooden scaffold, and as he did so the sky turned black. No greater sacrifice could ever be made.
. . . so that whoever believes in Him . . . the greatest possible choice. Every individual is free to and needs to; make their own response to God’s gracious and generous offer. There is no question of religious achievements or privilege, but the simple opportunity, shared by all, to trust or not to trust. To believe or not to believe. To receive him or reject him. Total freedom to choose.
. . . shall not perish . . . the greatest possible danger. Unfashionable, but undeniable for Jesus more than any other person in the Bible spoke of the reality of hell and the fact of judgement. To refuse his rescue leaves us perishing in eternal isolation, for ever cut off from the very source of life and goodness. We avoid every other danger we see, but this is the greatest possible danger.
. . . but have eternal lfe . . . the greatest possible future, enjoying for ever the pure goodness and delight of this never-ending story, in which every chapter is fresh and alive, and where we can dance for ever in the presence of a God who loves us so much.
Please do enjoy every aspect of Easter, including Easter eggs and family get togethers, but also find time to consider God’s love for us demonstrated through his Son our Lord and Saviour.
God Bless and have a happy, thoughtful Easter!