To the Editor:
This Resurrection Day better known as Easter will the major media for a change report the importance of this Jesus-centered holiday? Or will the major media merely run stereotypical tales about Easter bunnies and dyeing eggs but not the truth of Jesus, a dying Savior. I saw a shirt I liked that said, “Silly rabbit, Easter is about Jesus.” Easter makes Christians think about the cross Jesus died on for our sins. In Elizabethton we can be thankful we have lighted crosses on two different hills and on churches to help us remember the cross of Jesus. In most Muslim countries and communist atheist countries crosses are outlawed. There’s no substitute for the cross even in our bodies. Scientists say a cross shaped protein named laminin holds all of our cells together. The Bible says Jesus holds everything together and without Jesus everything falls apart. In the rubble of the 9/11 destruction a steel cross was found. While the Muslim terrorists like to destroy crosses this time they helped create one. It was a God provided reminder that Jesus is present even in tragedy. God provided a reminder with the 17-foot cross that nothing can separate Christians from Jesus and His love. Romans 8 lists 17 things that can’t separate Christians from the love of Jesus. Christians have always faced persecution, injustice and hardship and still do in Muslim and Communist atheist countries. God’s hands are heavy, even with Christians in this life because God gives people free will and we live in a fallen earth. God’s hands are heavy, but loving, as evident by the nail scars that go all the way through them. The Bible brings comfort by promising it’s impossible to be separated from the love of Jesus. That love was best demonstrated on the cross with the arms of Jesus open wide to receive us!
On Easter Sunday more people attend church than any other day. At Easter Christians have an opportunity and obligation to invite friends and family to church and let them know our greatest cause for rejoicing is in celebrating the fact that Jesus paid our sin debt on the cross and rose from the dead. Telling people everyone needs Jesus offends some people. The Bible in John 14:6 says, “You die in your sins if you believe Jesus is not the way.” “It’s better to offend people into heaven than to flatter people into Hell.” This Easter could be Christians’ last on earth before the rapture. Earthquakes and signs in the heavens show Jesus is coming any day now. We just saw the first picture of a black hole ever and President Trump has a Peace Treaty which are signs of the return of Jesus. People should want to celebrate because Easter commemorates the greatest event in the history of the world — Jesus lives!
Dr. Josh McDowell was asked why he couldn’t refute Christianity. He said, “for a very simple reason, I am unable to explain away an event in history — the resurrection of Jesus.” We are confronted with these historical facts: (1) The giant stone was moved and the tomb was really empty; (2) After rising from the dead, Jesus appeared to and spoke with individuals and groups including one group of over 500 people; (3) The Jewish leaders and Romans couldn’t disprove the disciples’ claim that Jesus had risen from the dead; (4) Many gave their lives because they wouldn’t deny Jesus had risen from the dead. This list is a definitive reminder that believing on Jesus isn’t a “head” issue, but a heart issue. There are too many historical reasons for anyone with an open mind to understand that Christianity unlike other religions is based on facts. Jesus has given us fulfilled prophecies, signs in the heavens as well as historical evidence which make trust in Jesus rational and justifiable. You may not believe these facts but that doesn’t change the facts or the eternal consequences of your not believing the facts. Knowing our Christian faith is based on solid historical facts of the empty tomb and the risen Jesus, we can celebrate the most glorious, important and life changing morning in world history — Easter!

D.D. Nave
Elizabethton