Christ is risen! 基督复活了！المسيح قام! Хрыстос уваскрэс! Si Kristo ay nabuhay! Le Christ est ressuscité! Christus ist auferstanden! Χριστός Ανέστη! המשיח קם לתחייה! Kristus telah bangkit! キリストは上昇です！ 그리스도 께서 부활! مسیح می باشد افزایش یافته است! Chrystus zmartwychwstał! Hristos a înviat! Cristo ha resucitado! Christ artış olduğunu!
1. What's the true meaning of Good Friday and Easter?
For most people in Canada, it's an unusually long, four-day weekend with a celebration of the coming of spring and life in nature. Symbols of chocolate eggs and bunnies can be found in most Shoppers Drug Marts. And the religious kind will go to church. But the meaning of the festival is not in going to church or not going.
One must go back into history to know the true meaning of Good Friday and Easter. About 2,011 years ago, the Creator God who rules the universe spoke to human beings through the person of His Son, Jesus. When Jesus was killed on the cross, God made Him alive again to show that Jesus was God's special person and that one day Jesus would judge the world. On that Good Friday, Jesus lay down His life to die for our sins. On that Easter Sunday, He was made alive and seen by many. Those who have watched the Canadian-produced
Gospel of John movie will remember these two events:
Good Friday
Easter Sunday
2. What's the big deal about Good Friday and Easter?
So somebody got killed and then returned to life. Why should I care? Why do Christians risk their lives to tell people about Good Friday and Easter?
First, the Creator God commands everybody everywhere to turn from their ways and to turn to Him. Second, doing nothing is not a good situation. Watch the following section of the
Gospel of John movie and notice what happens to those who believe in Jesus and those who do
not--drag the slider to watch 5:30 - 5:43:
3. Who is Jesus, really?
Some say He is a prophet, but only a prophet. Some say He is a great teacher, maybe the greatest teacher ever. Others say He is God. Who is this person that changed history so much that we date our lives by His life (e.g. the year 2011)?
The answer, again, is in beginning of the
Gospel of John.
Listen to 0:45 - 1:28, and guess who "the Word," or the Message, is. Then listen to 3:15 - 4:46 to find out the answer.
Of course, if you listen to the whole of the
Gospel of John, you will see the important things Jesus did and said.
But the story of Jesus is not finished. To continue with it, follow this video, called
Acts:
This Good Friday and Easter, will you believe in Jesus, "the Word" from God, and follow Him as your Master? Or will you go your own way?
