Easter

It is at Easter, a time most sacred and central to our Christianity, that we often watch or hear of the re-enacted story of Jesus crucified.  We listen intently as that day in Jerusalem plays out; characters such as the Roman soldiers, Pontius Pilate, Mary Magdalene and Jesus himself very much taking centre stage.

Yet this year, I stopped for a moment to wonder of another character who only briefly makes an appearance in written history - yet changes this story completely.

A man named Simon from Cyrene, the father of Alexander and Rufus, was coming from the fields to the city. The soldiers forced Simon to carry the cross for Jesus.”
(Mark 15:21)

Simon the Cyrene.

A man who by all accounts was simply entering Jerusalem for other business, but was caught up in the crowds watching as criminals passed by on their way to condemnation. 

Spending some time downtown in our beautiful city last week, you can't help but notice the amount of homeless men and women who make their beds on the streets of Sydney. Many of them hold cardboard signs reading, "Homeless…Hungry, please help".

As I watched many corporate men and women, shoppers and families walk past these precious people each morning, I couldn't help but wonder how many times I had done the same. And I wondered, if I held up a cardboard sign…what would it read?

Just a few years ago at our 25th anniversary, we did just that. Congregation members who had been saved at Hillsong over our 25 years, stood up on the platform with cardboard signs. On one side wrote words that described their past; honest revelations such as: drug addict, liar, gambler. And yet on the other side were words of redemption, words that described the hope they had in their new life with Christ.

I love Easter and I deliberately spend time thinking about what this significant holiday means for me, for my children, my grandchildren, my friends and neighbours... my world.

Our faith is a risk, our beliefs are outrageous and bold and Easter brings all of that to the forefront. At Easter time, we're celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Think about it - we celebrate that a man came to earth and died for us all, He took our sin and shame and reconciled us to God. And we believe that this life-giving God burst from death into life and is still alive today... living in us. Outrageous, right?

These bold beliefs cannot be separated from who Jesus is and the message of hope that Easter brings. The mistake that we can make as believers is trying to persuade with reason the 'proof' that Jesus was actually raised from the dead, rather than introducing people to Jesus Himself.