Imagine how the city was gripped in fear and chaos, people were caught up in panic, confusion, commotion. No one knew what might happen next, who else might die, what kinds of tragedies might befall them. That fear gripped the people in ancient Jerusalem about 2,000 years ago.
Many people then and there thought that the world as they knew it was ending. They had followed this Jesus, a carpenter from Nazareth turned preacher and teacher. Huge crowds followed him, listened to him, entrusted their very lives to him, and yet, he had been arrested unjustly in the Garden of Gethsemane.
He was dragged through false trials and wrongly condemned to die. His followers were helpless against Roman soldiers and the power structure that carried out what they thought was the greatest tragedy ever to happen. They witnessed the brutality Jesus endured, the suffering, mocking and humiliation. They saw the moment when he was nailed to a cross and left to suffer unto death.
When the time came for him to give up his spirit, the sky grew black, the Earth quaked, heaven wept, and Jesus declared victory to be his. He cried out on the cross, “It is finished! Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.”
And with those words he suffered death. But He would not remain in the grave. On the third day, the world experienced the first Easter morning. Jesus rose up from the grave, victorious over sin and death and the power of the devil. He opened up his heavenly home for all who believe in Him as their Lord and Savior.
That’s what we celebrate on Easter Sunday, and every Sunday. Jesus lived his earthly life in a world severely broken by sin. We were left in chaos, confusion, and in fear of certain death, with no hope of salvation until the Savior came.
In Him we have new life by faith which we live right here in time. And we have eternal life secured for us in His heavenly home. This is the hope, the peace, the joy, and the promise of Easter.
We still live in a fallen, broken, sin-filled world. We often experience fear and confusion, chaos and commotion. A virus can paralyze the world in fear. Jesus sets us free.
If you want to hear more about this new life we live — the hope, freedom and peace we enjoy — then join us at Hosanna Lutheran Church on Sunday mornings. Join us as we live in the victory of Jesus Christ. Find more at hosanna-lcms.com.
Hosanna Lutheran Church is located at 9601 E. Brown Road in Mesa.