“This Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it.” Acts 2:23-24 

Beloved,

God has a plan!!  God has always had a plan. In Genesis 3, we learn that man fell into sin bringing a curse upon this world.  The rest of the Bible, Genesis 3 to Revelation 22, shows God’s plan to overcome the curse the redemption in the Lord Jesus Christ.  God had a plan from the beginning to redeem this cursed world and to purify for Himself a people of his own possession who are zealous for good works (Titus 2:14).  

God sent Jesus Christ into the world to die.  His death is our victory for God did not abandon Jesus to the grave, but God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death.  The word “loosing” means to set free, release or to destroy.  God’s plan from the beginning was to send his Son to set us free from the pain of death.  We have been set free from death. Death no longer holds power of you for to live is Christ and death is gain (Philippians 1:21). Death is Gain.  Think about that.  We are sinful people.  We are rebels against a Good King.  And we deserve eternal death because of our sin.  Stop and let the weight of that rest on your heart. But God has turned our death from punishment into gain. 

Praise to His glorious grace, according to His definite plan, he had Jesus crucified by the hands of lawless men. His death was our death.  His resurrection is our resurrection.  THAT IS AWESOME!!! Beloved, do not let our familiarity with the gospel this Easter lose our wonder in the riches of God’s grace seen in his eternal plan of redemption.  

In Christ,

Pastor Dave