Transcript
Speaker: The following podcast is a Jill Devine Media production. Christianity has become known for judgy people, strange words, ancient stories, confusing rules, and a members -only mindset. This is why I stayed away from the church for so long, but it's not supposed to be that way. I'm Jill Devine, a former radio personality with three tattoos, a love for a good tequila, and who's never read the entire Bible.
Speaker: Yet here I am hosting a podcast about faith. The Normal Goes Along Way podcast is your home for real conversations with real people using real language about how faith and real life intersect. Welcome to the conversation. I'm Jill Devine, the host of Normal Goes Along Way and our Holy Week reflection and prayer time continues with Laura Fleetwood. It's Sunday morning.
Speaker: The women go to the tomb to care for Christ's body and stand in amazement that the stone has been rolled away. What has happened? Who has taken him? Where has he gone? The mystery and the curiosity and the worry
Speaker: It's almost too much, too much that when Jesus is standing there, she doesn't even recognize Him. I am alive. What happened in that tomb? What kind of love can restore a dead man
Speaker: back to life, what kind of love can take all of the sin and pain and separation between God and man and repair it? What kind of hope does that offer us? What kind of dreams does that put in our hearts that God so loved the world?
Speaker: that he gave his one and only son, that through him whoever believes shall be saved.
Speaker: Easter is not just a story of Jesus' resurrection, although we have such joy and such hope and such celebration that He is alive. This perfect man, who was also a perfect God, who lived a perfect life and died a death in our place, could not be held by death in the grave. A love like that cannot be bound
Speaker: even by death. But it's not just Jesus' resurrection that we celebrate today. It's our resurrection. It's the resurrection of all those that we have loved, that have gone before us, who have been saved through Jesus Christ, who we know are standing with Him today in the company of heaven, in the community of the saints,
Speaker: are standing with us alive. More alive than we can ever imagine on this side of heaven. And one day those of us who put our faith and our trust in Jesus will also be standing with Him. Just like He eventually stood with His disciples and they touched His hand and His feet and marveled at what had happened. It was true.
Speaker: What Jesus said would happen had come true. He was alive. Life was given back to him just as life is given back to you. Not just on Easter, but every single day you wake up to a brand new day. Mercies are new every morning. There is nothing you can do to be separated from the love of God anymore.
Speaker: Jesus did that for you. That is why He walked the long journey of Holy Week. So that you would never have to be separated from God again. He restored the relationship. He brought death to life. And today, as we celebrate and as we sing the songs and as our hearts rejoice,
Speaker: Remembering that Jesus was raised from the dead. Let's also remember that so are we. And that what we have to look forward to is life to the full, more full and more joyous than we could ever imagine. He did that for you. And I pray that you never look at Easter the same way again.
Speaker: Heavenly Father, thank you for sending your son to make things right between us and you. We cannot fathom that you would love us so much that you would send your son to suffer the way he did. To restore oneness with your people. We don't deserve it, but we are so thankful.
Speaker: And Lord, as we celebrate today, let us recommit our lives to following you, to following Jesus, to walking the path that He walked, to loving the people that He loved, to pursuing justice, to putting the love of God and love of our neighbors first, above all else, above religion, above government, above
Speaker: Selfishness above pride. Help us to love you, God, and to love our neighbors. Let that be the legacy of Easter. Help us to share your love with the world. Not just share your love, but to help heal the brokenhearted, for you have healed us. Amen.
