Rebellion is something that in some ways has been glorified in the “American Spirit.” From the very beginning of the American Revolution to the modern rebellion against any social rules, we as Americans are plagued by our unwillingness to submit and lay aside our own rights and rules.
As a parent, there are times when I get so angry and frustrated by the rebellion that I see in my child. It hurts. It angers. It disappoints. As parents, we spend time walking through those moments — how can we help break this reality? How can we do better in instructing? Why is my child not responding well to authority? It can be exhausting.
“Um, Derek, it is the day before Easter. Why are you talking about rebellion? Easter is a happy time. Talk about eggs or something.” If there was ever a time to focus on rebellion, it is the day before we celebrate how our Savior died to save us from our rebellion against him. At Easter, we celebrate our Savior coming to Earth, God in the flesh, to die and save us from our sins before rising again from the tomb He was in to seal His victory over death and the grave! What a glorious thing to celebrate, but a reality that will always be tied to reminding us of why the Savior was needed — our rebellion against God.
As I struggle with parenting through my child’s rebellion, it prompted me to stop and consider how my rebellion must feel to the Almighty God — His creation rejecting Him and striving to take His place. It prompted me to remember that it was my rebellion sending Him to die on the cross in my place. It is personal for me, and you. Yet, despite all we do to reject Him and carry out our own will, He in love paid the price we owed for our sin, the debt none of us could ever afford to pay (Rom. 3:23, Rom. 6:23, Rom. 5:8).
So, how do I respond to this reality? If you don’t have a relationship with Christ, if you have never accepted His payment for your sins and accepted His eternal forgiveness, if you have never accepted Him as your Savior — I urge you to do that today. Accept the free gift of salvation that He freely offers to all who seek Him (John 3:16-18).
If you do have a relationship with Christ and are a follower of Him let me challenge you with two things. First, celebrate the reality of our salvation through the Work of Christ on our behalf. Yes, Easter is one of the times that we highlight this reality, but we should never limit it to just Easter — make it a reality every day! Express your gratefulness to God for His deliverance from your bondage to sin like the Psalmist in Psalm 13:5, “But I have trusted in thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation. I will sing unto the LORD, because he hath dealt bountifully with me.” Second, take some time to consider how rebellion and sin have crept back into your life. When it comes time to celebrate what Christ has done in giving us victory over our sins, it is appropriate to ask ourselves, “How am I doing in living for Him?” John is very clear that our love for God is demonstrated not by how popular we are, how many verses we’ve memorized, or how many Easter services we’ve attended. Our love for God is demonstrated by our obedience to His Word (John 14:15, 1 John 5:3).
Instead of continuing to live out the rebellious spirit of our culture around us, let’s demonstrate our love for Christ and submission to Him this Easter, and for the days after Easter too.
Sincerely,
Pastor Derek