So, I need you to slow down for just 5 minutes.  Can you slow down and put your brain on pause mode for a bit?  What I am going to ask you to do is to read this blog SLOWLY!!  No, I am not going to expound for 20,000 words, but I want you to concentrate, slow down, and ponder the question I am going to ask you.  And then I will give you a list of things I want you to read slowly, and take your time to let this list soak up your thoughts and your emotions.  I think you can do this!  Please give it a try!  Okay, ready?

 The question is, what do you think about when I say Jesus at Easter time?  Now I really don’t want you to get distracted by what our culture says to us regarding Easter.  I want you to think about what comes to your mind regarding Jesus when you think of Easter. 

 Did you think up some things?  Did you concentrate?  Well, next I want to take one passage of Scripture that describes Jesus at Easter time.  I am going to give us a list of words to read one at a time.  Read each description of Jesus one point at a time and slowly get a mental picture of Jesus.  And remember, this list is from just one passage of Scripture!  Here you go:

•  Not attractive
• No majesty
• No beauty
• Rejected
• Sorrows
• Knows grief
• Despised
• Not esteemed
• Bore grief
• Stricken
• Smitten by God
• Afflicted
• Wounded for our sin
• Crushed
• Chastised
• Whipped stripes
• All sin laid on Him
• Oppressed
• Afflicted
• Silent to accusations
• Judged
• Crushed by God
• Grief
• Guilt offering
• Exalted servant
• Anguish
• His soul satisfied
• Bears people’s sin
• Poured His soul out to death
• Intercedes for sinful people

If you are like me when you think of Jesus around Easter time, you think of His resurrection.  And rightfully so!  That is the incredible Good News!  Jesus had victory over the grave, sin, and death!  But when we spend all of our time on the celebration of Jesus’ resurrection, we miss most of the amazing part of the Gospel.  What I am asking you to do is to spend time meditating and reflecting on what Jesus did before His resurrection.  The place where these words are found is in Isaiah 53.

 Go ahead.  Read it again.  Take your time and soak up what Jesus did for you.  The best way to have a proper understanding of the glory of the resurrection is by having a proper understanding of what led up to the resurrection.  So, take your time and slowly read Isaiah 53.  I think that you will find as I have the value of slowing down and meditating on Jesus’ blood and sacrifice.