The Sounds of Easter ✝️

Luke 23:33-34 - And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. ³⁴ And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And they cast lots to divide his garments. 

“How did I just make the same mistake?” 

Do you ever hear that same old song? Listening to those tired words leads me back to Scripture’s song of sin and grace.
I find music that never tires. I listen again to the sounds of Easter.
Low notes, like Jesus’ death, and high notes like His resurrection, all within the melody of grace.

Do you ever hear alluring thoughts that coerce you with false freedom, then shame your every misstep?
Do you hear whispered undertones of, “You won’t be enough, you’ll never get out of this, or you’re on your own”?

Next to the sounds of Easter, these enemy sounds are exposed as empty racket. 

I hear angrily concocted accusations, a whip on innocent skin, a hammer driving nails through open hands, and I hear, “Father, forgive them.” I hear one last breath, and within a beat I hear sky and earth thunder with rock-splitting power. As the right note and pitch cracks the tallest glass ceiling, these sounds tear through religion’s curtain between God and man, from top to bottom. 

Then, silence.

Matthew 27:45-51 - Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour.  ⁴⁶ And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” 
that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”  ⁴⁷ And some of the bystanders, hearing it, said, “This man is calling Elijah.”  ⁴⁸ And one of them at once ran and took a sponge, filled it with sour wine, and put it on a reed and gave it to him to drink. ⁴⁹ But the others said, “Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to save him.”  ⁵⁰ And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit.  ⁵¹ And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split.

 

For three days, silence. Darkness. Did death win?

But dawn brings the slow, crumbling sound of rolling limestone crushing earth covered in morning dew.

The tomb is open. Birds sing again.

A woman’s feet pit-pat, then stop in their tracks. Her hands drop everything with a childish gasp.

Then she hears an Easter sound, “Why do you seek the living among the dead?”

The tomb is empty. Death did not win. The sound of grace is tuned for every ear. And a voice speaks new life, “He is risen.”

Another sound of Easter came some 50 days after Jesus rose.

The promised Holy Spirit came like a blowing violent wind to fill Jesus’ followers with power. Now, when you speak on behalf of Jesus, you unleash some of that mighty power.

When you respond to life with "Thank You, God," He hears beautiful music. 

An honest "Help me, God!" invites the Holy Spirit’s powerful presence.

Your defiant, “Not this time,” silences the stinging ring of sin.

A humbling defeat confessed, settles the noise of shame, and strikes a chord of healing.

You bravely find words to tell others of His love, and the Holy Spirit opens ears.

Romans 10:9 - because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

How sweet are the sounds of Easter.

Let’s thank God, thank His for grace—

To silence the enemy sounds, and ask the Holy Spirit, to give us courage to live out loud for Him.

Help us to hear and live out the sounds of Easter today and every day!