Finding New Life and Purpose Through the Hope of Easter.

As we gather together this Easter, may we receive a fresh revelation of the profound sacrifice our Lord and Savior made on the cross and the power of His Resurrection that changed the history of mankind for all time.  The fullness of this is captured in John 11:25- 26, where Jesus proclaims, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die, and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

The first five chapters of Romans speaks of the profound position we have in Christ Jesus when we receive Him as our Lord and Savior. The old man is literally crucified! Romans 3:23 says this, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” All of us were created to know Him and the power of His resurrection. He is the only one who can satisfy the longing in our hearts, and later in John 14:18 Jesus said, “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.” We are given the power of the Holy Spirit who makes it possible to overcome sin and temptation as we submit our will to His.

It is hard for someone who has never asked Jesus into their heart to understand the transformation that takes place after believing in Jesus and receiving Christ as their Savior. Perhaps the following story about the resurrection of a young man named Charlie will help us to understand. Everyone who came into contact with Charlie knew him as a hopeless, dirty drunk for whom there seemed little hope. Most of the time, Charlie would sleep in the back alleys of the inner city. He didn’t have many friends, preferring to be alone; everyone knew him as a loner, alcoholic, and drug user.

One night, trying to keep warm during a particularly heavy snowstorm, he found his way to the local Mission. It was there that Charlie met Jesus. Everything changed for Charlie that night. Charlie said yes to God and was drawn by the Holy Spirit to go forward and receive Jesus as His Lord and Savior.

He was led in a prayer like this one: “Jesus I believe that you are the son of God. I believe that you died on the cross for my sins and that you rose from the dead that I may have eternal life with you. Today I repent of my sins and in so doing I receive your forgiveness. I receive you as my personal Savior and Lord from this moment on and I ask you to give me the grace to follow you all the days of my life.”

Jesus changed him from the inside out, and he became the most caring person anyone at the shelter had ever known. His days and nights were filled with serving the men who came to the Mission. Whether it was cleaning up the remnants left by a sick alcoholic, scrubbing the toilets in the men’s room, or offering words of encouragement to a person going through detox, there was never a task that was too low or a task that he considered beneath him.

He greeted everyone with a soft smile and seemed sincerely grateful for the chance to help them. Charlie could always be counted on to assist in feeding those hungry and giving hope to the broken men who wandered in from off the streets. He was often seen tucking them into bed when they were too sick and out of it to care for themselves.

             Each night, the Mission chaplain would deliver his nightly sermon to those who had crowded into the Mission. The men had learned to patiently wait for the sermon to end and for the invitation to accept Jesus to be over because they could eat the evening meal. One night, as the Chaplain closed his Bible, one of the men rose from his chair and came down the aisle to the altar. He began crying for God to help him change as he knelt there. He cried out, “Oh God, make me like Charlie! Make me like Charlie! Please, Oh God, Make me like Charlie.” Kneeling beside him, the Chaplain listened and said, ” I think it would be better if you prayed. Make me like Jesus!” Looking up at the Chaplain, the man said, “Why Is Jesus like Charlie?” Have you ever wondered how much our lives remind anyone of Jesus? Phil 2:5-8 says, “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.”

We have found that we become like those we spend the most time around. You have heard phrases like, “The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.” “He’s a chip off the old block,” “Like Father, like Son.” One wonders what people say about us. Would anyone proclaim that we are like Jesus?

Born Again: Living in the Light of Resurrection’s Promise

The story of Charlie isn’t just a testament to one man’s journey from despair to service but a vivid illustration of how Jesus’s sacrifice and Resurrection gives us the power to be radically transformed, as we are made into the very likeness of Christ. Through His sacrifice on the cross for our sin the way was made possible as He offered Himself to be the pure spotless lamb of God.  He made the way for the remission of our sin and rose from the grave on the third day . Jesus extended an invitation to all of humanity Jews and Gentiles alike. He came to as many as receive Him in His great mercy and loved us first! No amount of good works can save us but the appropriation of His shed blood on the cross for our sin. He is the Messiah, the beginning and the end. He came as God Himself in the flesh He is the I AM.

Charlie’s life became a powerful lesson in the chapel, reminding us that being like Jesus isn’t about mimicking a set of behaviors or simply adhering to religious observances. It’s about a profound, internal transformation that radiates outwardly, affecting every interaction and every relationship. It’s about having a heart that mirrors Jesus’ heart — a heart of compassion, mercy, faithful love and justice. We are reminded of the call to every heart that Billy Graham gave in His crusades, “Just as I am without one plea– O Lamb of God I come.” If you don’t know Him don’t wait, come now as He is waiting with open arms.

This Easter, let us renew our commitment to Him and to the recognition of His great love for us in that while we were yet sinners He died on the cross and rose again that we may have abundance of life here on earth and for eternity.  May we open our hearts to the transformative power of Jesus’ love, allowing it to reshape us in His image, guiding us to live lives that seek personal holiness and endeavor to bring His light and love into the dark corners of our world, 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”

The question posed to the man in the chapel, “Why? Is Jesus like Charlie?” should open our eyes to the realization that our lives are a testament to those around us. It challenges us to examine our actions, words, and hearts to ensure that others can see a reflection of Jesus when they look at us. Just as Charlie became a beacon of hope and transformation, so too can we become exemplars of faith, hope, and love in a world that desperately needs it.

In His Love Always,

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