I have never linked to a video on this blog, and with good reason; there are precious few things that I will subject myself to, and fewer yet that I will push upon others. This video, however, captures – in some small human way – a universal truth that we all were reminded of today, Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection. Click twice on the video (embedding is disabled), watch it, and then click through – below – to read more, if you’re interested…

As fascinating as this clip was, what could it possibly have to do with Christ? Here we had a woman, initially targeted as a subject likely because she was plain, frumpy, unemployed, with few prospects, and “oldish”; that is, she was completely out of place. As they talked to this woman, I would assume that they thought she was a nice woman, but that she would be a spectacular failure in front of the judges. When she walked out on the stage, you could hear the people in the crowd twittering, wondering if this was a put-on, and many feeling like, “Why must we endure these jokes of talent”? When she showed some humor and did her little jig, that drew looks of horror and disdain from the judges, because this woman wasn’t a cute, sexy blonde. Finally, she was let free to do what she came to do; sing to an audience.

When she opened her mouth and let out that first note, every face in the audience changed. Every person that was so ready to watch a spectacular failure saw – instead – the beginning of a victory in the making. By the end of the first bar, the audience was cheering. In two bars, an audience that was mocking Susan and her attempt at fame was on it’s feet cheering her. She, rather than giving them entertainment via failure, had given each of them hope through her spectacular voice and success. The judes were taken aback; humility gripped them – all except Simon – as they gave their reviews. Each of them knew they had prejudged her, given her no chance, and they were humbled as they gave her kudos.

Envision the scene in heaven as God Himself prepared to come to earth. Do you think there were angels that second-guessed the idea? Perhaps silently, perhaps in reverence to their Maker yet, but some must have thought poorly of the idea. Try – for a moment – to imagine what heaven must be like, and then contrast this with the cave that Joseph and Mary were in, and the dangerous (and rather dirty and disgusting) process childbirth was at that time. Countless thousands watched as our Savior was born into this earth, and don’t tell me for one second that some didn’t wonder what success this endeavor could possibly see. An inauspicious beginning, a normal carpenters upbringing, and an adulthood marked by wandering and speaking. The prophet Isaiah tells us that the Lord had nothing about Him so that men would be drawn to Him by His appearance. He was also unremarkable, and “set up for failure”.

While Susan’s video was only 5 minutes long, 33 and one-half years isn’t long for a heavenly host to wait, and they all watched Christ’s life and ministry as He grew. I have to believe that the reaction of the watching thousands when Christ was scourged was much as the judges saw with Susan as she stood there… disgust, sorrow for the spectacle they were making of Him, and a certainty that nothing good could come of this. As He breathed His last, the entire earth shook in horror, and as He was laid to rest, there must have been deep sorrow in heaven. How quiet must it have been in a place that had, until that day, been filled with praises sung to the Lamb.

And then… after two night passed here on earth, on that glorious morning, how the heavenly hosts must have sung. The feeling you get watching the reaction to Susan’s first note is such a small and insignificant pale compared to what the heavens must have done that day; but it gives us an insight into the joy of that Morning. Glorious victory as heavenly light pierced the tomb and Jesus emerged! Praise the Lord, the plan was complete! Can you imagine how the heavenly host sang then!?. Do you think that the angels that wondered about The Plan are now His strongest witness? Imagine their hearts as they watched this play out, exactly as God planned it.

Folks, if our hearts can take this much joy in one woman’s triumph on this sinful earth, how much more did a sinless heavenly host rejoice at His victory over sin and death? How much must they rejoice when even a single sinner accepts the gift He gave to each of us? Feel the joy this audience had at Susan’s short success, multiply that by millions, and assume that this is the way the heavenly host feels when we are broken and fall at His feet.

HE IS RISEN… and praise God for that.

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This message isn’t about whether or not you hide and search for eggs, or enjoy sweet treats on this holiday. Frankly, hiding things, searching for things, finding things, and tasting something sweet are all enjoyable things to do. My question is, “What are we focused on as we perform our activities on a daily basis, not only at Easter, but year round”?

Are you hiding something? From others, from God? What in our lives should we be bringing into the Light of Day, to be given to God and forsaken and forgiven? What should we be freed from that has a hold on us?

Are you searching for something that you haven’t yet found? Perhaps you attend a church, but you don’t yet feel like a member of the body of Christ? Perhaps you have walked with the Lord for many years, but you are struggling right now under the weight of this world and its attacks? Perhaps you are looking for a friend or companion to help and encourage you.

Have you found what you are looking for? Do you know that you have it, and that it will never leave? Are you assured that you have it, secure in that knowledge, and growing every day into His image?

If you are secure, walking in the Lord, growing with Him every day… are you taking JOY in the journey? Is there a song in your heart and on your lips? Can others not help but see the joy of the Lord shining through your eyes and in your life?

Too many times we are overtaken by the “here and now”, the temporal; but the power that raised Christ from the grave is ours, and it guarantees those that are saved that they will be with the Lord forever. Think about that for a moment: the power that raised Christ from the dead.. is yours. I don’t just mean the power to resist eating that extra Cadbury egg (trademarked), the power to avoid saying that short word to your spouse, or the power to deal with a child that is emotional at the moment, or even the power to overcome every sin on this earth; I mean, the awesome, heavenly power that brought our Lord back from the dead. (Romans 8:11, 1 Peter 1:3-7, Ephesians 1:17-21)

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