This week has traditionally been referred to as Holy Week, which is the week leading up to Easter.    Because Easter is in a few days, I wanted to bring our attention to the significance of the sacrifice that Christ made on the cross for us, and why this is as meaningful to us as Christians.   I have created an acronym using the word Easter,  that will explain through the reading of scriptures why Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection provided hope for a sin-filled world.
Through Christ’s resurrection, he proved his power and authority over death, and overall that is evil.  Because death has no power over Him, we as Christians are able to look forward to an eternal life with Christ, an eternal life that only He could provide.   His precious blood has atoned for our sins.  His blood has cleansed us from all unrighteousness, so that we may stand before God and be in right standing.  Can you say hallelujah, hallelujah, and hallelujah and praise God!

E- Empty Tomb
Mark 16:1-8
16 When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus’ body. ² Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb ³ and they asked each other, “Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?”
⁴ But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. ⁵ As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed.
⁶ “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. ⁷ But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’”
⁸ Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone because they were afraid.^[a

A- Assurance Of Our Salvation
   1st John 5:11-13
¹¹ And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. ¹² Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.¹³ I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.

¹¹ And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. ¹² Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.¹³ I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.

S- Savior Of The World
John 4:42
⁴² They said to the woman, “We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world.”
John 4:14
¹⁴ but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
Luke 19:10
¹⁰ For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
Acts 4:12
¹⁰ For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
2nd Timothy 1:10
¹⁰ but it has now been revealed through the appearance of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.

T-Triumphant Over Death
  Romans 6:4
⁴ We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
Revelation 1:18
¹⁸ I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.

E- Eternal Life
  John 10: 28-30
²⁸ I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. ²⁹ My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all^[a]; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. ³⁰ I and the Father are one.”
Romans 6:23
²³ For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in^[a] Christ Jesus our Lord.
John 3:36
³⁶ Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them.
John 3:16
¹⁶ For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

R- Risen He Is Risen!   The resurrection of Jesus Christ.
  Matthew 28:1-9
After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.² There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. ³ His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. ⁴ The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.

⁵ The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. ⁶ He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. ⁷ Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.”⁸ So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. ⁹ Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet, and worshiped him.
 1st Corinthians 15:20
²⁰ But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.
 Mark 16:9
⁹ When Jesus rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had driven seven demons.
 Acts 4:33
³³ With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all
 Acts 13:37
³⁷ But the one whom God raised from the dead did not see decay.
 Romans 6:9
⁹ For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him.

Happy Easter!!!