Easter Devotions 2022

“Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.”

1 John 4:8 NIV

Well, as you probably know the Gospel means Good News, and unfortunately there cannot be good news, without also having bad news. Ephesians 2:1-3 describes the bad news quite well, “And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.”

Because of sin, we are born dead. This means we were separated from God our Creator. By nature, we are children of wrath. And not only that, but there is also nothing in our power to make it up to God. We’ve sinned, so we’re separated and helpless. So, as you can see, this is very bad news. We cannot be reunited with God no matter how hard we try. No matter how many good deeds we do, it will never be enough.

Now this isn’t because God isn’t loving, God is LOVE (1 John 4:8). But in addition to God being love, He is also holy and just! He is so holy, that He cannot be in the presence of sin. He is just in that He cannot let people get away with their sin. In the same way, we hope for justice for a woman who has been raped or a child who has been trafficked, God demands justice for our sins.

So, we’re in a predicament, because we’re separated from God because of our sin, yet there is nothing in our power to pay the penalty for sin. So, God being so gracious and loving, decided to make a way. This is where Christ comes in and why He came to earth. Christ, fully God and fully man (Philippians 2:6-8), came to earth, so that He could do, what no other human being could do, which is to live a perfect life. And live a perfect life He did! He was born of a virgin Mary, which we celebrate that every year at Christmas, lived a sinless life for 33 years, then dead an unjust death. This was the most unjust event in the history of mankind.

Reflection Time:

We’ll get more into why He had to die in the next devotional, but for now, let’s reflect take some time to reflect.

1. Take some time to reflect on God’s amazing holiness, justice, and love. Mediate on these verses: 1 John 4:8, Isaiah 6:3-5, Isaiah 30:18, Deuteronomy 32:4
2. Let’s check our hearts and see if there is any sin of which we need to repent.
3. Lastly, let’s give thanks to God for who is He and for loving sinners like us!

“Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!

Philippians 2:6-8 NIV