What would you say?

What comes to mind when you hear the word “Easter”?

For some it will be “chocolate”,  “Easter eggs”, “Hot Cross Buns” or “Long weekend”. For others it might be “the cross”, “Jesus’ death”, “tomb” or “resurrection”.  Whatever your first response, the more important question is “Is the Easter story just that – a historical story – or does it impact the way you live here and now?” Chocolate, buns and holidays may satisfy us for a while but the reality of Jesus’ death and resurrection has eternal impact.

Jesus once met a woman who thought that she was just thirsty for water. He told her that he had living water and that if she asked him for that water not only would she not be thirsty again, but streams of living water would flow out from her to others!  (John 4) She couldn’t believe that there existed something that would not just keep her satisfied but would also well up inside her and flow out to others.  Often times even as Christians we can’t seem to believe it either!

We all seek satisfaction in our life. We crave love, joy and peace. We tend to look for satisfaction in material things and worldly relationships. These are temporary and partial so we are ultimately left dissatisfied. God knew this and so he sent his Son, Jesus, as the Prince of Peace –  to give us what we could never get for ourselves, no matter how hard we try – true love, joy and peace that is everlasting! The mission of Jesus was to be born, live a perfect life, die and be resurrected so that we can be in relationship with God and receive and live out his love, joy and peace.  Easter is all about the fulfilment of this mission.

For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. (Colossians 1:19-20)

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. (Romans 5:1-2)

When we accept the greatest Easter gift of all – Jesus himself, we can experience inner  peace – regardless of the external circumstances or the difficult relationships in our lives.  (Isaiah 26:3; Isaiah 32:17; John 14:27). As this peace builds within us and flows out of us towards others, we are able to be peacemakers (Matthew 5:9; Romans 12).

We hope that you will consider the word, “peace” when you next think of Easter! It is God’s gift of peace to us that we commemorate at Easter . It is not just for us personally, but for others through us, as we live as peacemakers! Will you choose to accept the amazing gift of peace from God and share it with others? We hope so!

To find out more about receiving the gift of peace from God and living at peace with others, read Chapter 2 of The Peacemaker (Ken Sande).

(Over this year, through each edition of Peace it together, we will be share the basic peacemaking principles as covered in each chapter of the book, The Peacemaker (by Ken Sande).)