A Blueprint for Easter

In God’s Kingdom, Good Friday is no chance encounter… It is a divine plan, a providential act, and an eternal design.

God created man in His image… And, what a glorious image! (“A little lower than the angels” Psalm 8:5)

So complete was man created to be like God, he was created with a God-breathed authority and free will.

From the start, God knew that man could not survive the acid test of free will. God had already planned for man’s failure with Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday in mind.

Adam failed the test of free will with the Tree of Knowledge. He threw away the God-given authority to the enemy. Also sadly enough, he passed on to all mankind the original sin, a separation from God, thus, a physical and spiritual death.

The Second Adam, Jesus, the Son of God, passed the test of free will (denying His own will and obeying His Father’s will) by dying on the tree (the cross) to reclaim for all mankind the original blessing, the lost authority, and a re-unification with God, thus, an eternal life with Him.

The cross is where justice and love meet.

The cross is where sin and mercy meet.

The cross is where poverty-stricken soul and grace meet.

The cross is where death and life meet.

The cross is where the seen and the unseen meet.

The cross is where the temporal and the eternal meet.

The cross is where evil and good meet.

Those are no chance-meetings and random encounters!

They are meetings designed in eternity.

At the cross, unequivocal and permanent victory was won and secured for all mankind for all eternity.

That’s why Good Friday (the cross) and Resurrection Sunday (the empty tomb) are “Hallelujah” occasions that resonate an eternal impact.

On Good Friday, God invites us to meet with Him at three places of the heart and spirit.

Firstly, we are invited to meet with Jesus at the table of the Last Supper, a symbol of His ultimate act of sacrifice for us.

Secondly, we are invited to meet with Jesus at the Garden of Gethsemane, a token of partnership with God in His redemptive plan for us.

Thirdly, we are invited to meet with Jesus at the cross, where the Good Guy won and where our spiritual death became revived life.

Finally, on Easter Sunday, we are invited to His table again (coming full circle) - only this time is the wedding banquet table where the Lamb of God is nuptially united with His bride, the Church. We are all invited to attend.

These are by no means chance meetings.

They are God’s heart beat and finger print of love for us.

For me? I can’t believe it!

Isn’t He so amazing?!

"Hallelujah" for the Cross!

But, more than anything, "Hallelujah" for the empty tomb!