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Text Box: story does not end with the cross. Jesus rose on Sunday morning, breaking the power of sin and death. The greatest injustice in his death became the greatest triumph in human history. II Corinthians 8:9 says, “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.” Not only did Jesus rise to life for himself, but he is the firstborn to make a way for all of us to rise from the dead. His suffering led to our spiritual riches—hope of eternity in heaven. There are some preachers who teach that the riches of the above verse mean that committed Christians should all be ‘healthy, wealthy and wise.’ They say that the richest of the above verse can be named and claimed for our immediate pleasure. This way of thinking misrepresents the experience of the disciples and what the New Testament teaches about suffering and the cross. Paul writes in Philippians 1:29,30, “For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him, since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have.” The truth is that following Jesus does not remove the injustice from our life, but our faith does bring hope that God can turn our injustice into triumph—our cross into victory. May this Resurrection season encourage us to press on in the challenges of life and experience God’s surprising grace. Have a glorious Easter season! -Pastor Rick

Text Box: A fact of life is that life is not fair. That is why we need Easter. The Easter account turns apparent injustice into the triumph of divine justice. Jesus lived the embodiment of love and grace. He healed the sick, freed the demon possessed, raised dead people to life and taught with authority never seen before or since. In our times many people admire celebrities, political leaders, entertainers, and religious leaders. The reasons people admire people today pale in comparison to the reasons people loved Jesus in his day. While good people may help others, Jesus transformed many he encountered. A doctor can help the sick recover, while Jesus instantly healed the sick. Out of this environment, the devoted followers of Jesus watched the greatest miscarriage of justice in history. Not only was Jesus not a criminal, he was sinless. This man who loved like no other person in history, died one of the cruelest deaths humanity has ever imagined. The movie, “The Passion of the Christ,” is painful to watch, but it is a graphic picture of how Jesus suffered. It was more than just a tragic loss of life, it was the greatest failure in justice the world has ever seen. I have conversations with people where they complain that they have been mistreated—life is unfair. There are times I feel misunderstood and unfairly treated. In some situations we think God is unfair. Why has He not made life easier or why has God not answered my prayers? Yet, nothing we experience comes close to the injustice of the cross. Jesus suffered and died for me and you. The

Text Box: Fort Lee Gospel Church 1625 Palisade Ave. Fort Lee, NJ 07024 (201)947-1465 Pastor: Rev. Rick Spenst Web site: www.fortleegospel.org

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