America needs the message of Easter

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The story of Easter is the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Biblical story is about his crucifixion, burial and resurrection from the grave. His victory over the grave brought exhilaration to his disciples and other Christians who were beaten down by fear and exhaustion. After seeing Jesus again their strength and lives were renewed to go forward and live their lives proclaiming Jesus as the way to Knowing God and experiencing peace.

Ever since the first Easter many more have found new life and renewed strength in the message of the risen Christ.

The noise level of our country is often shattering. We are engulfed by the noise of politicians, cable news, negativism, human failure and comparing ourselves to others. All people experience disappointments and pain. All of these and much more are a part of this life. You can’t escape it and the more you live the more you will experience.

As humans we have grown gifted in adding to each other’s hurts. We hurt with our speech, indifference and sometimes with outright condemnation. Jesus was the recipient of cruelty from the hands of the supposedly good people of his day. They were the religious crowd. They hated Jesus and pushed for his death. Some of the best people I’ve met in life go to church. Some of the meanest people I’ve met go to church. Billy Graham said years ago that the Devil doesn’t fight churches but that he joins them. You can find Jesus in most churches and you can usually find the devil.

Wherever you find people you will find good people acting like people. People act like people at church, political gatherings and places of employment. Jesus was different. He acted like a man, but he was different. There was something incredibly

renewing, saving, life giving and joyful about being around Jesus. The disciples loved him and loved being around him.

How many people do you love being around? By the way are you fun to live with? Does your spouse or children enjoy being around you? We want to spend time with some people. Some people just drain us. They look like a commercial for an iodine bottle. They are miserable and make everybody else miserable. I don’t want to be that kind of person. I don’t want to be around people like this either.

Jesus came to live. He died. He was treated the way ISIS would treat someone, except these were supposedly the good religious people of his day. There was nothing good about them. His story is one of overcoming the grave. He brought joy to people like Thomas who touched his hands and exclaimed my Lord and my God. Jesus was already in the practice of giving joy and new life. He gave it to a woman caught in adultery and was about to be stoned. He gave joy and new life to a leper who no one else would touch. He gave joy to the beaten down, the ostracized and those frazzled out by life.

This year why not take some time and focus on Easter? Jesus once told his disciples, “The Thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full,” John 10:10. We need Easter in America. We have become a discouraged nation. We need some new life and joy. This was the message and life of Jesus.

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Glenn Mollette is an American Syndicated Columnist and Author. He is the author of eleven books and read in all fifty states.

By Glenn Mollette

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