Holidays, chocolate eggs with the occasional rabbit thrown in for good measure have by and large obscured the rich meaning of Easter.
This is why for most of us Good Friday is good without us ever appreciating the reason for that.
Inevitably we all come to realise life is too short with most of us preferring it didn’t end. Into this vacuum the Bible sounds the comforting message that there is hope beyond the grave. It records an extraordinary statement made by Jesus: ‘I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.’ Millions of people over the centuries have put their trust in what he said. Why? Especially when, bizarrely, not many months after making this promise he himself died, crucified on a Roman cross.
Jesus’ words were and still are the most profound ever spoken. People who heard him in the flesh simply said, ‘No one ever spoke the way this man does.’ If his words in life were significant then how much more his words in death. Jesus was on the cross for some six hours and the four Gospels record what happened and what he said. He didn’t say much – not surprising in the light of what he was going through – but the seven things he did say hold answers to the questions that both life and, more importantly, death pose. The more time we spend contemplating what he said, the richer in meaning we will find his words.
Our Easter Through Art exhibition is an opportunity for us to take time out to reflect on Jesus’ seven cries from the cross. Sometimes we need to make space to be quiet to give ourselves time to think about things that really matter. Why don’t we come and explore what happened that first Good Friday? Allow the artwork and thought provoking reflections to give us an insight into all that Jesus promises. Come and be amazed at the wonder of what Easter represents. As we do we will begin to appreciate afresh why Easter Friday really is good.
Much grace,
Steve