Now what?
Easter Sunday came and then this morning Monday arrived right on schedule. All the excitement that went into getting dressed up nice for church yesterday and having a nice meal with family has now left and Monday has showed up. So we get up and live our lives. Work needs to be done. Bills need to be paid. The kids need to be fed and bathed. Life continues. So, now what?
Every Sunday is Easter Sunday
The truth is you can experience the same anticipation every Sunday. Why? Because every week we celebrate that the tomb was empty. We celebrate that unlike any other 'god' ever conjured up by the minds of men, Jesus Christ is the only one without a grave stone to go visit. He is alive! We don't have a memorial day to remember Jesus, we have a Resurrection Day! This makes Him the only one able to forgive us our sins and give us eternal life.
All dressed in my Sunday best!
The bigger question then is why? Why is it that so many people get so excited about this one day every year and the rest of the year forget about Jesus, or at least get indifferent toward Him? Why is it that the same people who were enthusiastic about singing "He arose!" this past Sunday, won't be back next week to sing praises to the very same God? God hasn't changed. He is still alive and we are still just as desperate for Him.
Knowing Jesus vs. Knowing About Jesus
It all comes down to knowing Jesus Christ. In John 17 Jesus said: "Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you sent." (v3) We need to know Jesus Christ, as in have a personal encounter with Him in our own lives. Having knowledge allows us to answer questions correctly. Experiencing Jesus Christ allows Him to touch every area of our life. Have you experienced Jesus Christ in your life?
I remember what happened when I met Jesus. I had gone to church and heard the stories. But I did not ever feel like there was any real connection with God to be had. It seemed like God was distant and cold and I was just supposed to sort of do some good things and figure it out. But when I met Jesus Christ, everything changed. Suddenly there was a hunger in me for more of Him. I enjoyed singing His praise and wanted to be in Church on Sunday to proclaim that He was alive! I lived with this new understanding that I had been saved not by my works, but because of Jesus' death on the cross for me.
So, now what?
So, now what? Now is the time to grow closer to Jesus. Now is the time to give Him a chance to show up in your life and change you. Now is the time to bring all your doubts and fears out and ask Him to answer the questions that you have. Show up to church worship services. Get involved in the life of a local church. See what it is all about and position yourself in a place where God is free to work in you. Try it out and see what happens. I know from my own experience that if you let Him, He will change your life.
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If you are looking for the peace of God in your life, you might be interested to read the blog post called: "The Peace of God in You."
Do you have questions about truth? Check out the most recent sermon called "What is truth?" You can find that and other sermons on our sermon page.
Who is Battle Lake Alliance Church? Watch the short video on our about page.