Posts tagged 'easter'

  • Jesus—His Life and Message: The Resurrection (Part 4)

    In the previous article we read about two disciples, Cleopas and an unnamed companion, who were walking to Emmaus with Jesus (whom they didn’t recognize). They expressed their disappointment ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • Jesus—His Life and Message: The Resurrection (Part 3)

    After seeing the resurrected Jesus, the women followed His instructions to go and tell the disciples that He was alive.1 The Gospel of Luke tells us that the disciples didn’t believe what the women had said, ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • Jesus—His Life and Message: The Resurrection (Part 2)

    Each of the four Gospels (as well as the book of Acts) gives an account of Jesus’ appearances to His disciples (women and men) after His resurrection. In Matthew’s account, when some of the women disciples went to the tomb ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • Jesus—His Life and Message: The Resurrection (Part 1)

    After His crucifixion, Jesus’ body was taken down from the cross and laid in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea. A large stone was rolled over the entrance of the tomb. According to Jewish law, the type of work involved in burying a body ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • Jesus—His Life and Message: The Death of Jesus …

    In the Gospels of Matthew and Mark, we are told that about the ninth hour (3 p.m.) Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”1 ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • Jesus—His Life and Message: The Death of Jesus …

    Each of the four Gospels speaks of the women who were present at Jesus’ crucifixion. The Gospel of Matthew says:

    There were also many women there, looking on from a distance, who had followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to him, ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • Jesus—His Life and Message: The Death of Jesus …

    While each of the four Gospels give the same account of Jesus’ death on the cross, they each also include some unique details. The Gospel of Matthew is the account used here, and portions of the other three Gospels ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • Jesus—His Life and Message: The Death of Jesus …

    After Jesus had been interrogated by Pilate, mocked, treated with contempt by Herod and his men, and scourged, it was time for His death sentence to be carried out. Each of the four Gospels addresses the events of Jesus’ death, ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Glory of Easter!—Part 2

    Quotations on the death and resurrection of Jesus

    Here are some more beautiful thoughts on the theme of the death and resurrection of Jesus. As Christians, it’s such a core part of our lives, our purpose, ...

    by Maria Fontaine

  • The Glory of Easter!—Part 1

    Quotations on the death and resurrection of Jesus

    I cherish the memories I have of celebrating Easter as I grew up. Our church gathered every Easter morning on the top of a hill where we watched the sun rise, ...

    by Maria Fontaine

  • Jesus—His Life and Message: The Death of Jesus …

    All four Gospels give an account of Jesus’ death on the cross.1 While each of these passages covers the same event, the four authors tell the story in their own ways. This article and upcoming articles about Jesus’ crucifixion ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • Jesus—His Life and Message: Gethsemane (Part 3)

    Jesus’ Trial and Peter’s Denial

    Each of the four Gospels1 gives an account of Jesus’ trial, conducted by the Jewish religious leadership. While the Gospels cover the same event, ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • Jesus—His Life and Message: Gethsemane (Part 2)

    The Arrest

    Each of the four Gospels gives an account of Jesus’ arrest. The Gospel of Matthew will be the main focus in this post, and segments from the other Gospel accounts will also be included. ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • Jesus—His Life and Message: Gethsemane (Part 1)

    Jesus’ Prayer

    After finishing His final meal with His disciples,1 Jesus led them out to the Mount of Olives.2 It was there that He told His disciples that they would all fall away because of me this night.3 ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • Jesus—His Life and Message: Moving Toward His Passion …

    The previous article addressed the end of Jesus’ public ministry. At this point in both the synoptic Gospels1 and the Gospel of John, the focus moves on to the events of His passion and death. ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • Jesus—His Life and Message: The Greeks

    The Gospel of John tells of an event, just prior to the passion and death of Jesus, which is not included in the synoptic Gospels.1 It describes Jesus’ encounter with some Greeks who desired to see Him. It is significant ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • Easter Meditations

    The events of the first Easter brought seismic changes to our world. God made a new covenant with humanity, one which made it possible for us to dwell with Him forever. His Son died on the cross for us, making it possible ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Creed (Part 7)

    Having covered the crucifixion, death, and burial of Jesus, the creed now moves on to His resurrection from the dead, ascension into heaven, and His enthronement at the Father’s right hand. ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Effects of Christianity (Part 4)

    This fourth and final article about some of the effects Christianity has had on the world will touch on three ways in which Christianity and/or individual Christians significantly helped change the world ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Effects of Christianity (Part 3)

    In this third article of the series, we will continue to examine the positive effects that Christianity has had on the world since the death and resurrection of Jesus. The focus in this post will be twofold—the advent of hospitals and schools. ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Effects of Christianity (Part 2)

    In this Easter season, we continue to look at the profound effects that Christianity has had on the course of human history since the death and resurrection of Jesus. This article will focus on the fundamental change ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Effects of Christianity (Part 1)

    With the approach of Easter—the celebration of Jesus conquering death by rising from the grave to bring salvation to the world—it seems an opportune time to look at the positive effect Jesus’ life, death, ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • Celebrating Life!

    Easter is a time when we look back to the most powerful event in the history of mankind. We see God’s supernatural, undeserved love for us being expressed through Christ’s death on the cross and His glorious resurrection. ...

    by Maria Fontaine

  • Jesus—His Life and Message: The “I Am” Sayings

    The Resurrection and the Life

    Just before Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead,1 He spoke to Lazarus’ sister Martha and said:

    “I am the resurrection and the life. ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Easter Effect

    Easter week is just ahead—the week in which we read about and meditate on the events of the last days of Jesus’ earthly life: telling the disciples that He would be crucified; the chief priests and elders gathering ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • Easter Meditations

    The events of the first Easter brought seismic changes to our world. God made a new covenant with humanity, one which made it possible for us to dwell with Him forever. ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • Easter Wonders

    At this time of year we celebrate the very heart of our faith—the resurrection of Jesus. It is the central theme of the gospel, the key component which proves the validity of everything Jesus taught. The resurrection ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • Easter—The Resurrection Makes All the Difference (Part 2)

    As we celebrate Easter, we are celebrating God’s way of bringing salvation to us. In His love for humanity, God made a way for us to enter into an eternal relationship ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • Easter—The Resurrection Makes All the Difference (Part 1)

    Easter is the day we celebrate the most important event of our Christian faith, the resurrection of Jesus. Why is it so important? Because without the resurrection, our faith is ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • Easter—Yesterday, Today, and Forever!

    As Easter approaches, I have been reflecting on Jesus’ resurrection and its significance. What did it mean to His original disciples—all of those who believed in Him during His lifetime on earth? And what does it ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Story

    In the previous post I wrote about the you factor, your importance as the one who brings the message of the Gospel to others. In this article I want to talk about the story behind the message. It’s a story that you are already familiar with, ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • He's Alive!

    It had been about three years since they had answered the call to follow Him. Each one had their own story of how it happened. Nathanael was told he was an Israelite in whom there was no deceit. Peter and his brother Andrew ...

    by Peter Amsterdam