Why?

As Easter approaches it is always important to reflect and remember the why of what Christ did. I know for me personally it is easy to react to the hype of the bigger churches with Easter and Christmas. Jesus didn’t come in some flashy way to get our attention. There weren’t any fireworks with his birth and if anything the Romans and Jews attempted to have a total cover up with his death. What stands out is that Jesus didn’t want to stand out.

I am eternally grateful for the Son of God’s choice to come, leave behind his glory and power and willfully take up himself a life of a servant that ultimately saw a cross as a door back to his father. How is it possible that the one who was sinless would come and take upon himself my sin?

As I do more work in South Phoenix the reality that most people don’t trust each other and that it doesn’t matter whether you are a Christian or not continues to hit me. What has to happen in order for a Hispanic to trust an African American or a White guy to be welcomed into either of these churches? Why can’t we work together instead of working against each other?

Easter gives me the hope that there is one who has broken the barrier between different ethnic groups. Only Jesus who has literally bled on our behalf is able to reconcile us to one another. I know that my life is broken and needs to be fixed. I know that there are many things missing in my neighborhood in order for it to work. The journey is allowing God to do his work of redemption through people that usually are forgotten is exciting. I can’t imagine the sense of hopelessness that the thief on the cross had as he was dying only to discover that the one next to him wasn’t just a man but the Son of God. As Jesus welcomed him into eternity there was hope that death was a new beginning into a better life.

Yes, the tomb was empty and the Angels proclaimed that he is risen! Yes, he is risen indeed! I know that tomorrow can and will be a better day.