Gospel of John

“In reply Jesus declared, ‘I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.”

John 3:3

It is hard to believe that Easter is here already. Easter reminds me of family, warm weather, dinner with friends, and dying eggs. But beyond the family traditions and festive gatherings, Easter is a great time to reflect on the sacrifice that Jesus made for us all.

This week I had the chance to hear a sermon about Easter and was reminded of something very important. We observed part a movie that visually displays the death that Jesus died for us. The imagery was dark, deep, and painful at times to watch. After viewing the film, we took communion, and then watched a few more clips which displayed the end of the story. We saw Jesus being crucified, buried, and then resurrected. Certainly a roller coaster of emotions were running through me, but I kept silent in my chair afterwards, along with everyone else.

The speaker stood up and asked us why we still sat quietly. It’s easy for me to overlook Jesus conquering death, being “born again.” This weekend is a time of celebration for anyone that has put their trust in the death and resurrection of Jesus. My challenge is to not stay seated anymore. Stand up, applaud, sing, dance, just do something that communicates the joy of being born again.

- Matt Simmonds