This week is a very special and holy week for believers. During this week we remember the last supper that Jesus had with his disciples. We remember the betrayal of Jesus by Judas Iscariot. We remember the agony of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. We remember Peter denying Jesus three times. We remember the trials of Jesus in the middle of the night. We remember the crucifixion of the most kind and loving person who ever lived.
We focus on these things this week because it is not spiritually healthy to move directly from the joys of Palm Sunday to the joys of Easter Sunday, without remembering all that happened in-between that was so costly and painful. It is so important to pause this week, and to remember all that was done for us by Jesus of Nazareth.
And then, having walked with Jesus through the garden, the betrayal, the arrest, the trials, the scourging, the crucifixion - - we anxiously await the third day, the coming of Easter Sunday morning, and the greatest day that the world has ever seen.
The tomb of Jesus Christ is empty for one reason. He rose from the grave. He is alive! Because of that fact, all of history has been changed. Because of that fact, our lives can be changed. Because of that empty tomb, we can have hope and confidence in tomorrow.
If you don’t have a church home, I invite you to join us at First United Methodist Church in downtown Lake Charles this Sunday morning for Easter services of celebration at 8:30 or 10:45 AM. Jesus Christ is alive! He truly makes a difference in our lives. We celebrate that fact this Sunday morning. Happy Easter!