I Cor. 15:21-22 “For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.”

Rev. 1:17-18 “When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, ‘Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive for evermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.’”
Each year as we enter the Easter season (and Jews enter Passover season) we remember how Jesus suffered and died for our salvation. While the nation of Israel remembers their ‘death sentence’ being commuted by the shedding of a lamb’s blood, Christians celebrate the suffering, death and resurrection of the Lamb of God. We remember the last supper, the mock trial by the Jewish religious leaders, his being brought before Herod and Pilate. We remember his torture, his long walk to Golgotha and crucifixion. And we remember the discovery on Sunday morning that he had risen! As we remember the process by which Jesus became our Savior, we should not lose sight of his purposes behind the sacrifice. The first: because death had to be conquered. Because of Adam’s sin, death was brought into this world, a spiritual death forever separating us from our loving Heavenly Father. That death sentence had to be paid. While a sheep or goat could be offered to God to forgive the sins of his Chosen People, it would not be enough to pay the debt owed by each and every one of us. By a man death came into the world, and by Jesus’ resurrection death has been defeated…Hallelujah!

Pray: “Lord Jesus, I have spent much time thinking about all you suffered for me but, like most Christians, have not spent a lot of time thinking about the purpose for which you did it. When humans think of death we typically think of it in purely physical terms. But when Adam sinned, it wasn’t just a physical death we suffered. That spiritual death was far worse than merely the death of our mortal bodies…it meant an eternity without you! By dying and rising again from the dead, I now know I do not have to fear death, for you, my Savior, hold the keys to my eternity – thank you, Lord Jesus, for wanting me to spend eternity with you - Amen.”