The Easter message is summarised in verses found in the New Testament

“Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the scriptures:”¹

The expression  ’according to the Scriptures’ – is a reminder to us that these were events  long  predicted,  so many details stated and fulfilled that  no room is left for simple ‘accidental’ coincidence. 

First let us notice the PERSON – the One that was to die.

It is ‘Christ’  –  the Messiah  –  ². It is He that has to yield His life.  It is God the Son – Who became a man so that He might do this ! 

Then we might think of the PLACE where these events happened.  It was ‘outside the city walls of Jerusalem’. The ‘city set on a hill’ – the very  location being the ‘mountains of  Moriah’ ³ – where Abraham had brought his son to an altar –  and there inspired to announce “God will provide Himself the Lamb for an offering “⁴

It was at the time of the Passover – the Jewish festival commemorating the deliverance of the Jewish people from Egypt – the night in which a selected lamb was to be killed and its shed blood, marking their dwellings, would bring safety to those sheltered therein. ⁵ 

And what of the PURPOSE ?   The explicit word of the prophet  tells us that “He was pierced for our transgressions……by His wounds we are healed” ^6. Likewise His burial  “they made His grave with the wicked but He was with the rich in His death”  His body was laid in the new tomb of a rich man – rather than the refuse tip of the city waste.

Completion of the Easter message comes on the third day –the tomb is empty – JESUS is alive ⁷  – there is a LIVING SAVIOUR! Towards the end of that day – the first Easter Sunday – He comes to His disciples and  ”they were glad when they saw the Lord “ ⁸

Let us acknowledge that we are sinners – let us thank Him for dying for us – let us PLEDGE ourselves to Him as our Lord.  Then we will share in that same joy as we await His coming again. ⁹ 

¹ 1 Cor 15^3-4 ; ² Psalm 45^6,7; ³ Gen 22³; ⁴ Gen 22⁸; ⁵ Exodus 12^7,13; ⁶ Isa 53^5,9 (NIV);     ⁷ Jonah 1¹⁷  Luke 11^29,30 ;   ⁸ John 20²⁰ ; ⁹ John 14³