This Easter long weekend is a special time for us as Christians. Not because we’re privileged to have two public holidays back-to-back, but rather it’s about remembering and giving thanks to God for the sacrifice and victory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Yet back in the Apostle Paul’s day, Easter did not exist.
While reading Galatians recently, I was struck by Paul’s description of his initial gospel preaching to the Galatians:
“You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified (Gal 3:1, TNIV).”
Paul’s message is very much like what we often experience at Easter time: the story of Jesus’ crucifixion retold, creating a vivid picture in our mind of the passion of our Lord.
This is what Paul did every time he preached the gospel. He wanted people to know what happened to Jesus of Nazareth, in enough detail that they could “see” and feel what happened, and then ask life-changing questions that Paul could go on to answer. Paul painted a clear “picture” of the Crucifixion.
The Galatians responded to Paul’s message: they believed what they heard and received the Holy Spirit (Gal 3:2). It was wonderful! They experienced the miracle-working power of God (Gal 3:5). They began to experience the freedom that Christ had secured for them (Gal 4:7, 9; 5:1, 13).
I hope you can identify with the Galatians as you remember the wonderful freedom you felt when you first believed the gospel of Christ and experienced the life of God’s Spirit.
But that freedom does not go unchallenged, and it is not static. It must grow, develop and bear fruit. And it must persevere in difficult conditions. The Galatians discovered this as they encountered false teaching that would enslave them again. We discover it as we encounter teaching and temptation that would deceive and cool our hearts toward God. How easy it is to be “bewitched”!
How do we grow? How do we make progress? How do we persevere? What did Paul say to the Galatians? He pointed them back to Jesus Christ crucified. He painted the picture again. He explained the meaning again, in the hope that they would “get the message” again and get back on track in their progress as disciples of Christ:
“For the meaning of Jesus Christ’s death was made as clear to you as if you had seen a picture of his death on the cross (Gal 3:1, NLT).”
And what would their life look like as followers of the crucified and risen Lord? They would know:
- His love for them (Gal 2:20)
- The freedom in being God’s children (Gal 4:4-7)
- The joy of serving each other through love (Gal 4:13), of bearing the fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22-23), of becoming more like Christ (Gal 4:19)
- The hope of future righteousness (Gal 5:5) and eternal life (Gal 6:8).
This Easter, as we read the Gospels for ourselves and with our family, and as we attend Christian meetings, we will have the opportunity to see again the “picture of his death on the cross” and to visualise the empty tomb and the risen Lord. Let’s open our hearts and minds to see and take in the picture, to allow the truth of the Lord’s love and victory to fill and move our hearts again. Let’s “get the message” again. Let’s decide again to keep following our crucified and risen Lord. To Him be the glory!
The Lord is risen! May He richly bless you and your loved ones this Easter.
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