Bible Baptist Church

Easter, what is really about? People gather all over the world to collect colored eggs, a large sum of money is used to buy candy, and by the time the Easter Bunny has done his job many have skipped right over the real meaning of what Easter is all about. There are a lot of things that we consider beautiful, but a wedding ranks up there with some of the most beautiful things our eyes have seen. There is an old saying that every bride knows.

Paul wrote a second letter to the Corinthian church that God wants His people to be like a bride prepared for her wedding.

God uses the illustration of a bride as His church because it is easy to relate to. A wedding can one of the most beautiful things we can see and experience. There’s an old saying that every bride knows:
Something old
Something new
Something borrowed
Something blue

Something Old:

A bride will gather these four items and wear them on her wedding day. Every bride chooses in her own way how she will wear something old, new, borrowed, and blue. Today I would like to visualize Easter for you through a wedding dress.

The “Something old” represents our life without Jesus Christ. Many people assume saying a prayer, going to church, being a good person, or someone who does nice things for people is what it takes to know God. The truth of the matter is God is interested in you. He wants a relationship with you. When God first created mankind, Adam and Eve, He created them perfect and without any sin issues. Although God’s creation was perfect they still had a choice to either love God or themselves. In their case, they decided to love themselves more and ate of the forbidden fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Once they ate of that fruit sin busted through door and has been passed down from one generation to the next. God’s perfect creation was now soiled by sin.

Sin created a huge problem for mankind. God was not able to have a relationship with people that are sinners. Since every person is soiled by sin they are separated from God by a huge gap. This is why Romans 3:23 says we all fall short of what God requires. Yet, in God’s love He did not abandon us. He gave His Son Jesus Christ to die in our place. I believe John3:16 describes it best.

Like a bride, we have something old. The Bible says that “something old” is ourself without a relationship with Jesus Christ. If we remain in this “old self” there is nothing we can do to have God’s favor. Jesus Christ willingly came, lived as we do, died in our place, and rose again. God does not desire anyone to die without having a relationship with Jesus Christ. A relationship is not prayer you have said, but a choice to invite Christ into your heart and aim to live for Him daily. The relationship may begin with a prayer that invites Christ into Your life, but that is only the beginning. It is the first step in restoring our relationship with the Lord.

God knew the only way to restore mankind was through a perfect sacrifice. People have asked, “What would a perfect sacrifice look like?” I say, “Watch the Lamb!"

SOMETHING NEW:

The Lamb of God was slain, died and put into a borrowed tomb. People are often scarred the Lord won’t accept them, because they feel they are labeled. The beautiful thing about the Lord is He will take you as you are. He invites you to come as you are.

God invites you to come as you are, but don’t think this relationship ability came easy. It cost Jesus Christ everything.

The Roman Cat of Nine Tails was a cruel instrument that inflicted a great amount of pain. The Roman soldier would thrust the nine tail whip into the back of Jesus Christ and as the metal, glass, and sharp instruments cut into the soft tissue of Jesus’ back the Roman soldier would quickly rip it back out causing excruciating pain.

Our sin was a great debt that none of us could pay so Jesus Christ offered His life. For us to have the opportunity to be “something new” Jesus had to become “sin” for us. Pilate ordered Jesus’ to be scourged. His body would be spread across a flat piece of marble or stone exposing the ribs and stretching the skin. The Roman soldier would begin to use the Cat of Nine Tails from the back off His back to the back of His thighs. Literally when they placed the purple robe on Him the material of the robe would get drawn into the wounds. To remove the robe would have been excruciating as it would tare and reopen the wounds. On top of this they made fun of Jesus as they placed a crown of thorns into His forehead. Here, they would mock by saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!”

Due to the changing of the landscape no one really knows how far Jesus Christ had to carry His cross. We do know that He was so weak from the beating He had taken that they had to ask a man by the name of Simon to help Him carry His cross.

Jesus arrived to Golgotha or the Place of the Skull. People looking from a distance could see within the landscape what looked like a skull. The heavy cross would be placed on the cross as Jesus Christ would be nailed. The cross would be lifted into the air and dropped several inches into the ground. Jesus Christ would literally hang from noon to three ‘o’clock. It was at this time His Father would turn His back on Him, because He became sin for us. God allowed His Son Jesus Christ to be brutalized and crucified to give us the opportunity to exchange “Something old” for “Something new."

In case you are asking, “Did Jesus’ death pay for my sins?” allow me to answer that with a resounding, “Yes!”

“It is finished” is like us saying, “Paid in full!” Every man’s sin debt was paid in full and every person now had the opportunity be “Something new."

SOMETHING BORROWED:

There would be no Easter if it was not for “Something borrowed.” Jesus Christ died on the cross sometime after the three ‘o’clock hour. His body was quickly taken down and placed in a borrowed tomb.

For three day’s Jesus laid in the tomb lifeless. Yes, Satan, the known world assumed Jesus’ death was final. What they did not realize was Sunday was a coming.

Sometime early in the morning Jesus arose from the dead. This is Easter. It’s not just the brutality of the cross that draws us together, it’s the celebration that life is renewed because Jesus Christ could not be held by death. He overcame the grave. This is why Paul can state, "O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?”

SOMETHING BLUE:

http://www.bourncreative.com

Blue represents both the sky and the sea, and is associated with open spaces, freedom, intuition, imagination, expansiveness, inspiration, and sensitivity. Blue also represents meanings of depth, trust, loyalty, sincerity, wisdom, confidence, stability, faith, heaven, and intelligence.

You, like every person has a choice. You can decide to live in your own sin without ever coming to know Christ in a personal relationship or you could choose to come to Christ and begin your relationship this morning. A few minutes ago you saw the labels people often use to say why they cannot come to Jesus Christ. The beauty of Jesus Christ is that His death, burial and resurrection allows any person to come to Him. He will take our sin and throw as far as the East is from the West. He can clean you from the inside out.

For me, it is a no brainer. “Something blue” is the faith and confidence you will place in Jesus Christ that He can do what He says He can do. No matter the label Jesus will accept you and enter into a relationship with you. You ask, “How?” It is as simple as the ABC’s:

Accept you are a sinner
Believe in the Gospel
Confess with your own mouth
Discipleship through a local church



Something old is our sinful nature

Something new is our new nature in Jesus Christ

Something borrowed is the tomb

Something blue is the faith we have to trust and enter into a relationship with Him

The question you have to answer this morning is, "Will you accept God's payment of your sin?"