A Senseless Story?
by Lindsey Hanekom
At my son’s school they are in the run-up to the Easter holidays. As such, the pupils have been looking at the Easter story and will all be attending church on the final day of term. As I have chatted to some other mums, it`s clear that not everyone is happy to have their child learn about the subject, as they are `not religious`, and are particularly unhappy with the teaching of something as uncomfortable as the crucifixion, citing it as `unsuitably brutal` for young children to be exposed to.
These events have really got me thinking and seeing how the Easter story as a stand-alone story just doesn`t work! Without the context of the rest of the Bible, the crucifixion and resurrection don’t make sense, nor do they accomplish anything. The brutality of the cross stands as a senseless horror story, and the resurrection nothing more than a happy ending to an otherwise very unhappy series of events.
Yet, as Christians we know this isn`t true! As today`s Scripture reminds us, there`s a context that makes sense of it all, and there`s a reason it had to happen the way it did. There was no other way that Jesus could accomplish what He did without facing the brutality and fear that the story conveys. Yet, there was a joy that was beyond the cross, a joy that motivated Jesus through the darkest moments in the last days of His physical life. And, most importantly, it was all done for each and every person who will ever exist!
As we approach Easter, let`s once again fix our eyes on Jesus. When we see the brutality of the cross, we can see a heart of love that endured it for each one of us. When we see the joy of the resurrection we can stand in victory with Him; a victory over sin and death, free of guilt and shame.
Yet, let`s not keep this wonderful revelation to ourselves! For those who`re being exposed to the story this Easter and don`t have a framework of context for it, let`s be the ones who can simply and whole-heartedly give reason to the seemingly senseless stories. Let`s be the ones who can tell why it had to be that way. Let`s be the ones who fix our eyes on Jesus and say, “Because of Him, we live!”
Prayer: Lord Jesus, what You endured on the cross was anything but senseless and without cause. You endured it for me, and for those I know. Please help me share the truth and context of the Easter story in a way that has impact, and changes people`s hearts. Amen.
Lindsey Hanekom Lindsey has worked at all of our UK centres over the years and has settled at Ellel Scotland with her husband, Johann and their two young children, Kyle and Zoe. As part of the Leadership Team at Ellel Scotland, Lindsey has a heart for the deeply broken as she oversees the prayer ministry and is an established and passionate teacher with Ellel. In her spare time, Lindsey enjoys the natural world, particularly the ocean, and is trained as a specialist medic to assist stranded and injured marine mammals.
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