Mark My Words – Mileposts of Easter Hope

Whenever we set out on a trip and if we are traveling on the interstate we will see mileposts. These mileposts or markers show us where we are at along the journey. Depending on which way we are traveling, the mileposts will either count up or down. As we watch these mileposts with expectancy they provide hope that we are getting closer to our intended destination. Excitement builds, especially if the destination includes seeing family and friends that we have not seen in a while.

We are now on a journey toward Easter Sunday. On this journey we will see mileposts of hope along the way. To the traveler who is not alert and attentive, these mileposts can be overlooked. However, they are there. Today I will explore several mileposts of hope that we will find as we celebrate Easter together.

Milepost 1: The Occupied Cross:

“But God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)

Christ hung there on that Good Friday, so that our sins might be atoned for. We could be forgiven no other way. If there was another way, God would have done it, but there was not. Why else would He be willing to give up His one and only Son? This milepost provides hope that we can be forgiven, through the precious blood of Jesus Christ. We don’t have to carry around a guilty conscience, Christ will forgive us if we come to Him by repentance and faith.

Milepost 2: The Darkness that Fell Over the Land:

“For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21)

The sinless one, Jesus, became our sin bearer. All of the wrath that our sins rightly deserved fell upon him. We read in Matthew’s gospel that darkness fell over all of the land from noon until 3:00 PM. During this time, Jesus cried out “my God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”. He was temporarily forsaken as the father turned his back on the sin bearer. This milepost provides hope because when we come to Christ by faith, we no longer need fear that the wrath of God will be poured out on our sins. It was already poured out on Jesus for us. He took the hit for us, so that we would not suffer condemnation for our sins.

Milepost 3: The Tearing of the Temple Veil:  

We read in Matthew’s gospel that immediately after Jesus died the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. God did the tearing, not man. The tear began with God up top, not with man down below! Through the death of Jesus we have access into the very holy presence of our God through Jesus’ sacrifice. This milepost provides hope that we have ready access to God through Jesus. There is no longer any barrier between us and God so long as we approach our Holy God through the blood of the cross.

Milepost 4: The Empty Tomb:

The tomb is empty, so we don’t have to be! We can have a rich and vibrant hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. We can face our own death as well as the death of family and friends with this milepost of hope that ensures that through Christ we will be reunited on the other side. Death has lost its sting and its victory for the person who has placed their faith in Jesus Christ. Because Jesus was raised from the dead, we are also assured that we can experience life eternal, to include the resurrection of our bodies.

As we enter into this most holy of seasons, would we be reminded that we as Christians have great reasons for hope due to the beautiful mileposts of Easter that God has placed along our path.

Be blessed and be joyful because truly you are resurrection people!

Mark