When I think about Easter, two main things come to mind.
One, is the fact that His death on the Cross and His resurrection from the Tomb, are the most significant events, that bridged the gap which my sins had caused between me and my Creator. Absolutely nothing that I could do, think or say could settle my debt and save me from the lake of fire. And God knowing this, He sent Jesus to settle my account.
Over forty years ago, I remember reading a tract that made this so clear for me, exactly what Jesus did because of His unconditional love. That simple cartoon impacted me in such a way, that I have referred to it time and time again, particularly at a moment when challenging men to make a decision to follow Christ.
I’ll share that story with you now, paraphrased with a bit of Samoan license, for my grey hair brightens my head, but dims my memory.
There were two Chinese twin brothers, living in the States in the late 1800s. The elder was of good character and a man of integrity, however his younger brother was rebellious and often getting into trouble in the community.
One evening the younger brother was gambling in an alleyway and lost all his money. A fight broke out, where he ended up stabbing a victim and running back to his apartment. The victim died at the scene.
On arrival, he ran into the bathroom to wash away the blood. The older brother saw him and followed him in. He asked him what he had done. The younger brother removed his bloodstained clothing and threw them into the corner and started to quickly wash. At that moment there was a pounding on the door, with the Police demanding them to open up.
Without hesitation, the older brother quickly stripped down, put his brother’s clothes on and picked up the knife. Right at that moment the police broke down the door and entered the premises.
The older brother was arrested and charged, but he didn’t say a word. In court he was convicted of murder and sentenced to death, but he didn’t say a word. Finally, he was executed and never said a word.
As a young teenager, I understood from that story what Jesus did for me. Willingly He paid the price for my wrong doing – the challenge for me from that day was, how should I then live?
I realised how precious and valuable I was to my Heavenly Father. That He would send His one and only Son to take my place and redeem me of all my stupid, evil, selfish ways – oh what Amazing Grace!
That story brought John 3:16 alive for me and to this day sets off an alarm on my dashboard, when I start to stray, get lazy or contemplate going backwards in my walk.
The second standout point for me, is something that we often overlook and as a result, we can struggle and get distracted from being effective when being about our Father’s business.
Colossians 2:15, “And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.”
Easter was where Christ’s victory over sin and death was announced to all Creation and beyond. It was at this point in history that the devil and his evil forces were blindsided and exposed. They were defeated and Christ won the battle.
It is important for us to acknowledge that victory and to walk humbly in the power of that significant celebration. We can be hamstrung and caught up in all of the lies of the enemy, that can often paralyse or hinder us from stepping out in obedience in our service to God.
With this knowledge and the encouragement of confirming scriptures, we need not fear when the enemy comes across our path to kill, steal or destroy. We have been instructed to Stand and Resist. Knowing that the Christ who indwells us, is far greater than the one who comes to tempt us. This should give us the confidence to obey as God reveals.
So brothers, this Easter let’s celebrate that we escaped death row, while rejoicing in the fact, that Jesus won an amazing victory by His miraculous death and resurrection, which shamed the opposition and put them on notice.
Oh what a Saviour!
Blessings
Nick Tuitasi
Nick Tuitasi is a popular speaker who has spoken at numerous PK events. He’s a recipient of the QSM and Living Legends Award. He’s worked for New Zealand Police, Te Wananga O Aotearoa and Family First NZ, plus other organisations. He’s also a champion of those in the Pasifika community.