The feasts are all canceled. The egg hunts have been called off. There will be no sunrise service on the church lawn for Easter 2020. But this isn’t the first time believers have lived in fear through this holy season – and it won’t be the last. The followers of Jesus – the ones who walked with him, ate with him, and spoke to him face to face – had been told multiple times that their friend and leader would die then rise again on the third day. Still, they hid out in their own self-imposed quarantine after the Messiah’s arrest, torture, and execution, terrified they would be next.
But then the impossible happened. Jesus Christ did exactly as he said he would – he rose from the dead. If Coronavirus is testing your faith this Easter, remember that we have a risen Savior who conquered sin and death.
Faith Is a Muscle – Flex It!
In her Good Friday message, Liberty Nation’s Leesa K. Donner wrote:
“When you strip away all the fluff of life – the social, cultural, and business events – and you drill down to the basics, it may be a perfect time to flex that faith muscle. And should you find that muscle has atrophied and sits lifeless upon your frame, perhaps this is the ideal opportunity to begin giving it a workout.”
Calling faith a muscle may sound odd, but it’s appropriate. The more you use it – the closer to God you cling and the deeper into his word you study – the stronger your faith becomes. Conversely, backsliding weakens it. When Jesus told him to come, Peter walked across the top of the lake – so long as he kept his eyes on the Messiah, that is. “But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.” (Matthew 14:30, KJV). Peter’s faith gave out the moment he looked away – and he was standing on top of a lake, just feet away from the Son of God! How could we not doubt when we roam too far out of the word and into the world?
That Resurrection Faith
As we practice social distancing – ideally at the house – during this time of Coronavirus pandemic, remember how the apostles spent that weekend, all those centuries ago. While we hide out in our homes, fearing the dreaded COVID-19, They hid fearing torture and execution – until Jesus appeared to them. From there, they went out, galvanized in their belief, and proclaimed the good news far and wide. Take hold of that resurrection faith. We have a savior who conquered sin and death. “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.” (John 10:28-30, NIV). What greater security could we have? What better reason to hold faith over fear this Easter Sunday?
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Read more from James Fite.
For home study students and young people, Liberty Nation recommends…
Good Friday Explained
High School: Good Friday: When Jesus Paid the Price No One Else Could
Middle School: Good Friday: Christ Carried Sin to the Grave – And Left It There
Elementary School: Good Friday: The Day Jesus Died in Payment for Sin
All About Social Distancing
High School: Quarantine Stinks – But It Isn’t As Bad As It Once Was
Middle School: Social Distancing: It Isn’t Fun, but It’s Better Than It Once Was
Elementary School: Social Distancing is Boring, but It Used to Be Worse
