The Plan Fulfilled

For the Christian church, April and May this year are the months for the greatest events of history to be remembered and reflected upon. I refer of course to Jesus’ death, resurrection and ascension.

The crucifixion, which took place on what we call “Good Friday” like many before it was an opportunity for Roman rulers to eradicate difficult captives. Jesus of Nazareth was considered just such a man, not so much by the Roman authorities as by the Jewish authorities. But both thought that they would be better off if Jesus’ life were terminated. However, they could not know that the death of Jesus at the hands of His executioners was all part of the plan God the Father had for His beloved Son.

This death was to be the one and only sacrificial death that would justify, atone and be the means by which every human being would be seen as acceptable to God - provided they accepted that it was done for them, that Christ died in their place. By this death, every believer would be made anew; every believer would be made clean from sin (wrong-doing as God sees it); every believer would be acceptable in God’s presence.

Now the Devil (Satan) was pleased that the Son of God was to be crucified, for he believed that once Jesus was out of the way his own plans for self-glorification would move on apace. Satan was wrong! God’s purposes were to be furthered in Jesus rising from the dead and reigning eternally with Him. So it was a surprised, if not startled group of disciples who encountered the risen Jesus on that first day of the week, and an even more stunned group who spoke with Him, ate with Him and worshipped Him.

The story was completed when Jesus, as foretold, ascended back to heaven on the clouds a few weeks later. Yet the story is not completed, for this is an ongoing story as men and women meet Jesus themselves and have their lives changed by Him. And now they look forward to the day when they will themselves live eternally with their Lord and Saviour.

This is the Easter story. The story of salvation for men and women. The plans of God in Action. Are they your story?

One of the first hymns I learned to love is “Blessed Assurance”. These words are true in my experience and they remind me of my Saviour and His love for me. I pray that they may be inspiring and affirming to you too.