He is Not Here

.
Today we celebrate the most important event in the history of the world.

Must be pretty important, yes? 

Well, it is.  Today, Jesus Christ, the son of God, came alive and rose from a tomb where he had been buried after having been brutally killed three days before. 

The reason for this is that he took on our sins -- took the blame for things he did not do, so that we wouldn't have to take that blame.

What is sin?  It is something that was introduced way back when Adam and Eve, the first human beings, disobeyed the only rule God had given them: Don't eat the fruit from one, single tree.  They did anyway, and we have been disobedient ever since.  It is built into all of us now. 

So, what does the word sin mean?  It is to "go beyond a set boundary or limit."  We stretch the rules, in other words.  (Maybe exceed the speed limit a little in those twisties!)  We have all done it.  It is so tempting. 

See what I mean -- it is built in.  Nobody has to teach us how to be bad -- we already know how to do that! 

Another meaning of the word sin is to "miss the mark."  We seem to never quite measure up to what we ought to be, despite our best human efforts. 

There are three things you have to do to get in on this forgiveness of the things you do but you shouldn't.  Importantly, these things are also the only way to get into heaven, where you will live forever:

• You must turn away from the bad things you do.  The word for that is REPENT [have a change of mind; to go in another direction]
• The next thing is that you must BELIEVE in the Lord Jesus Christ--his death, his burial, and his resurrection from the dead.
• Last, you must OBEY the word of God found in the Bible.  This is different from just trying to be good enough, which we cannot do ('cause being bad is built in, remember).   

Then, as we strive to be good, God helps to do that.  Wow!  We get help on top of it. 


Today, most people scoff at all this, but it is true, so we'd better believe it.  Anyway, why take a chance?   Why not do it and be sure?


Find a good Bible-believing church.  That is vital.  If they don't take their teachings right out of the Bible, and believe every word of it, it isn't good enough. 

.