I want to focus today on Easter and what it means to us today 

Last week I talked about how bad we really are and how God looks upon us.

We cheer when some one like Sadam Hussain is eliminated 

We look on badness like those who murder or steal 

Or those who abuse children

But in God’s eyes we are just as bad 

It’s just like having a disease that is in our genes

And we can’t get rid of it

The Bible tells us that we all suffer from that disease and the bible calls it sin 

Not just bad things we do….. but the disease we inherited

And we think that by doing good things that it washes away that disease but it can’t do that .

We all know that measles is caused by a virus 

And some who try to treat it from the outside rather than the inside

They will do good deeds but good deeds cannot rid us of this disease

Some even think that by going to church from time to time that our disease will be eliminated but the disease called sin is inside of us 

Some think that we are basically good but only the environment corrupts us and makes us bad and if we could correct the environment we would be perfect.

If that was true we would not have to teach our children to be good

We never have to teach our children to be bad 

Rather we have to teach our children to be good 

It does not come naturally

Go to kindergarden and observe the way Children play and you will see it

And the disease is rampant all through our society

Read the daily papers

The Bible tells us that all have fallen short of God’s Glory

You see God is perfect 

there is no vice in Him 

If we were to see Him we would die…. because we fall so short of His glory 

It would be like looking at a light brighter than the sun

We would be blinded because we fall so far short of His glory

What is the answer to our dilemma ?

How can we rid ourselves of this disease

God wants us to be close to Him ..but He can’t accept us because of sin

He wants to adopt us as His children to have that personal relationship with Him

But how can He do it 

The wages of Sin is death 

We deserve death ?

And we will all one day die 

But there will be a second death 

Death is separation from God 

The Bible calls that state hell 

A place of suffering 

That’s what Easter is all about.

To rid us of that disease called sin

To cleanse us 

To have that relationship with us 

And to save us from that second death 

To prepare us to live with our God 

So He sent His son Jesus 

He came to take the punishment we deserve 

He suffered a cruel and agonising  death at the hands of men just like you and me.

He was beaten and scourged for you and me 

They drove nails through his hands and feet and strung Him on the cross

He suffered the abuse of people 

But He did it willingly for you and me 

So that we might have new Life 

So that we might live with Him eternally 

Do something different with your life this easter