As I See It

Learn About
Eternal Life
During Easter

Most of us probably have spent the past week or two longing for a good rain. I have heard a number of fishermen complaining about not having enough water to get their boats into the lakes in order to go fishing. Others like me have complained about the ground being so dry seed will not germinate when planted.

Most everyone wants a rain to help get all the pollen out of the air. As one who has allergies very bad I sure would like for the earth to get a good bath and hopefully help the pollen settle down. I am sure that the farmers depend on the weather to make or break their crops are beginning to get nervous about crop production this year and they certainly have a reason to be concerned. In Bruce we have gotten almost three-tenths of an inch of rain for which we are very grateful. Maybe by the time you read this column more rain will have fallen.

By the time you see this column we will be more that half way through Holy Week. Last Sunday we remembered Jesus going into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey. Up until this Jesus had been very popular. People in great masses came to hear Him teach and witness the miracles He performed. But now His popularity had started to fade. According to those who listened and watched what Jesus  was doing and saying some strange things.

The “rich young ruler” came to Jesus and asked what he could do to have eternal life. Jesus told him to sell what he had and give the money to the poor. At that time people believed that it was those that were rich that God loved the most. They could give a great deal of money to the Temple and Jesus was rejecting this and telling the young ruler to sell his possessions and give the money to the poor. This did not help the popularity of Jesus.

After Jesus had chased the money changers from the Temple, He invited the lame, the poor, and the people who did not count in society into the Temple. What was wrong with Jesus? He was teaching that God loved everyone and opened the doors of the Temple to all kinds of people. This was no way to win friends either then or now. Jesus became a threat to their way of life and He simply had to go. So the cry “crucify Him” became louder and more frequent.

On what we refer to as “Holy Thursday” Jesus introduced a new kind of meal to His disciples. He invited them to eat bread and drink the wine to represent His body and blood broken and shed for them. He also invited future Christians to share in this meal in memory of Him. Hence many of our Churches celebrate the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday.

Just as Jesus had predicted He was nailed to a cross and put to death on what we refer to as “Good Friday.” After His death He was buried in a borrowed tomb.

All should have ended then and there. But as the scriptures tell us “God raised Jesus from the dead.” The grave could not hold Him.

 Let me invite each of you to attend Church on Easter Sunday and experience the Living Christ. Go sing “He Lives” with some congregation

Happy Easter!  He Lives!!

“Billy McCord is a retired school administrator and an Elder in the United Methodist Church. He is Pastor of the Pittsboro and Shady Grove UM Churches in Calhoun County. He is a member of the Calhoun County School Board. Contact him: billymc@tycom.net)