A minister friend of mine was once approached by a delegation from a small religious group in his city to see if he would be willing to officiate at funerals of their members.

They told him they had no one trained in speaking at funerals and that, if he accepted their offer, they would require that he never mention death during his sermon because they didn’t believe in it.

The caring pastor decided to accept this offer to serve hurting people, in spite of their strange restriction, thinking it would provide him an opportunity to comfort grieving families and that in spite of their denial of reality, death would speak for itself.

In contrast to the conclusion of this delegation of death deniers, Easter faces the problem of death head-on and offers hope to those facing it.

Early in His ministry, Jesus had been challenged by His critics who demanded a sign to prove His authority to teach and work miracles.  “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up,” He had replied (John 2:18).

Thinking He was referring to the temple in Jerusalem, His enemies reminded Him it had taken forty six years to build that magnificent structure and that rebuilding it in three days after its destruction would require a miracle.  But He was speaking of the resurrection of His body three days after the coming crucifixion.

Talk about drawing a line in the sand!

With one startling statement, our Lord risked everything on His promise of resurrection. Others have since made similar statements and convinced many

to follow them but when death came and they didn’t rise from their graves they were  revealed to have been either deceived or deceivers.

This man was different.

There have been great military leaders but they have all been defeated by death.

There have been conquering kings but death has conquered them all.

There have been famous philosophers and teachers but they have all gone to their graves like the unlettered and unknown.

Then came Easter: bringing indisputable proof that our Lord was who He had claimed to be.  This demonstration of authenticity transformed His trembling disciples into dynamic people of faith.

In some areas, now considered vital, the infant first century church was powerless.

It was without financial power.  The members had to sell their belongings and pool their resources just to survive.

The first century church was also without political power.  Neither the apostles nor their followers could pull strings in high places.  Furthermore, there is no evidence that they ever tried to do so.  Their master had said His kingdom was not of this world (John 18:36) so they left politics to the politicians and set out to impact the world one person at a time. In doing so, they gained the reputation of being world changers.

Easter may be the perfect launching time for a spiritual awakening that revives our

churches and  changes our troubled world today.

The praises and palm branches of Palm Sunday’s crowd when Jesus entered Jerusalem are remembered at this time of the year but most forget the tears He shed over what the citizens of that sacred city would face in the years ahead.
Jerusalem means “city of peace” but the history of that embattled city is a story of war and destruction.  Today it is the location of the most volatile political, religious, economic and military problem on the planet…so the tears continue.
A Newsweek reader, living in Israel, once wrote to the editor describing the climate of fear in his homeland at that time: “Fear masters everything,” he wrote: “when you walk down the street you inspect everyone you pass with, as we say in Hebrew, seven eyes.”
No wonder Jesus wept.
Fear is a miserable master and to some degree this enemy stalks us all wherever we live, bringing depression, stifling ability, draining energy, diminishing courage and robbing life of adventure and success.
When fear is in control, we are constantly scanning the landscape in search of anything that might harm us.  Familiar sights and sounds become sentinels that continually warn us of possible impending disasters, keeping us ever on high alert.  Even a ringing phone can be an alarm signal causing us to dread what unwelcome words may dwell at the bell.
What breaks fear’s bondage?
Faith in Palm Sunday’s weeping one, who said, “Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”
Fear and faith are opposites.
And faith always enlists prayer to summon its faithful protector.
The tears of Jesus on Palm Sunday, as he descended into Jerusalem, revealed His love for those who faced terrible things in their future.  Ahead lay his betrayal by Judas, a mock trial by spineless Pilate and the crucifixion.  Yet His tears that day were not for himself but for other suffering ones.
In his book, “Dark Threads the Weaver needs” Herbert Lockyer says, “At the head of the procession of the world’s sufferers is a thorn crowned man,” adding the reason most of us don’t measure up to His compassion for others is because we’re too busy looking in a mirror to look out the window.
“In a mirror,” Lockyer writes “you see only yourself, but through a window you do not see yourself but others.”
Our Lord was ever concerned about the pain and suffering of others.  His first prayer from the cross was for the forgiveness of his tormentors.  And even in that place of humiliation and suffering He took time to minister to a repentant dying thief, assuring him of heaven.
Are you so occupied with your own problems that you lack compassion for others?
Remember Palm Sunday’s tears.
And replace your mirror with a window.