Episode Thirteen: Easter

Hello everyone! Happy Good Friday! Today, we have a bonus episode this week to talk about Easter. We hope you enjoy! P.S. In the video, I said it was coming out on April 6th... I totally mean that for April Fools... 

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:03

Welcome to the Purpose Podcast. I'm your host, Gabe.

SPEAKER_01 0:06

And I'm your co-host, Josh.

SPEAKER_00 0:08

And today is April 2nd. And you're going to be seeing this on April 6th. I know that because I did an assignment earlier that's due on the 5th. So that's the only reason why I know Monday's the 6th.

SPEAKER_01 0:25

And Sunday's the 5th.

SPEAKER_00 0:27

And it's also Easter.

SPEAKER_01 0:29

Yes. I hope you guys had a happy Easter.

SPEAKER_00 0:33

And since this is coming out tomorrow on Good Friday, I hope y'all had a good Friday. You see the pun all pun intended. So obvious, obviously, it's kind of weird that we're doing two episodes in one week, but we've we felt like we should do one for Easter.

SPEAKER_01 0:57

Yeah. So we got two this week. Celebrating our Savior's death and resurrection with you guys.

SPEAKER_00 1:04

And if you got a problem that we're doing two in one week, then I hope your pillow is hot tonight. I'm just kidding. I hope you ain't got a problem. Because it's coming out either way, so.

SPEAKER_01 1:25

Yeah. Get ready for it.

SPEAKER_00 1:31

So this holiday is kind of it's very important for Christians. And I would honestly say that it's probably on the same level as Christmas, even, you know, even though we don't really get any days off for Easter. I guess not really a federal holiday. But and when it comes to prophecy, Easter is very important to us. And the prophecy is that Jesus Christ sacrificed himself to save us from our sins. So in today's podcast, we're going to be discussing Good Friday to Resurrection Sunday. But before we start discussing my Good Friday, let's talk about the days that was leading up to it. It starts with Palm Sunday. Jesus entered Jerusalem as on a donkey as people welcome him with palm branches and shout, I'm I might say this wrong, so Josh, if I say it wrong, can you please correct me?

SPEAKER_01 2:37

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 2:40

Hosanna? Hosanna?

SPEAKER_01 2:42

Hosanna.

SPEAKER_00 2:43

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 2:44

Hosanna the highest.

SPEAKER_00 2:46

That's what I thought, but I didn't want to say it wrong.

SPEAKER_01 2:50

No, you're good. Hosanna.

SPEAKER_00 2:53

And by doing this, they recognize him as the promised Messiah. On Holy Monday, he enters a temple. He kicks out money changers and merchants who were exploiting worshipers. He was challenging their corruption and religious practices, and he was demonstrating his authority. On Holy Tuesday, they saw him teaching in the temple. He answered challenges from religious leaders and shared parables about faith, judgment, and God's kingdom. He also had discussions with the disciples on future events and about faith and forgiveness. On Holy Wednesday, this is when Judas betrayed Jesus by agreeing with the J religious leaders. And now Monday, Thursday was the day of the Last Supper. He washed her feet as a lesson of humility and established communion. And he later went to the garden of I might say this word too. Might say Lorrong. So Josh, I might need you to help me here.

SPEAKER_01 4:18

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 4:19

Jessamine.

SPEAKER_01 4:21

Um Gethsemane.

SPEAKER_00 4:24

Yes. Gethsemane.

SPEAKER_01 4:25

Garden of Gethsemane.

SPEAKER_00 4:27

Okay. That. And while he was there, he was arrested. So now we've talked about the events leading up to Good Friday. So now let's talk about that day. Jesus was strapped to a block. And the guards started whipping him. These nine-tailed whips had metal tips on the end of them. These whips would tear the skin off of him, bringing him inches to death already. This caused a medical so-called hyper vomic shock. And if you don't know what this is, this is when that you lose about 20% or more of your blood supply. Even through all the pain, Jesus lets him continue. A crown of thorns was beaten in his head with big lacerations. So he's had all this happen to him, and he keeps fighting, he keeps going because he knows his purpose. He was then forced to carry a wooden beam to his crucifixion site. And he was so weak that he needed assistance to carry it. And not only this, but the beam was jagged. So you can imagine that you know all the splendors he probably could have gotten from the cross. Or beam. I think it was cross, right?

SPEAKER_01 6:00

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 6:00

Okay. That's what I that's what I thought.

SPEAKER_01 6:02

And when I was doing my research, it's the beam, and I was like, I always thought it was wooden beams, I guess, one beam going upwards, one beam going across. Yeah, which makes it a cross.

SPEAKER_00 6:17

That's what I confused. I was like, I've always heard it was I always thought it was a cross, and then I was like, yeah. That's what I thought it was, and then I was like, I think this stuff uh I was like, I don't know. I'm having a little confused. I know I wasn't stupid on that.

SPEAKER_01 6:36

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 6:37

So when he was nailed to the cross, the nails were driven into his wrist so that he could hold his body weight. And there is more details in this, but I would encourage all of you to go research it for yourself because it is kind of gory, and I I haven't watched The Passion yet, and I I plan on watching it. Um from what I heard, that's kind of a good representation of like Yeah, it's very, very violent.

SPEAKER_01 7:14

But when you think about how it was in real life, it it can't imag it can't match up to it. It's far worse than what it was in real life.

SPEAKER_00 7:26

So while he was on the cross, there's also other people being crucified, and there was true criminals beside Jesus. The criminal on the left rejected him. And I I think it's in Matthew, I don't know which chapter, but you know, it basically saying, you know, he saved people, but he can't save himself. This is I guess is what he was saying. And said if he was the king of Israel, that he would come off the cross. So right then, right there, it's like it shows kind of like our human thing of like works instead of faith. The guy on the right kind of had more faith than the guy on the left. The guy on the left wanted him to show him like his works instead of proving to him or he didn't have to he don't have to prove him anything, but he just I'm kind of tongue-tied here, but um yeah.

SPEAKER_01 8:44

He he wasn't at the one I can't remember which side it was.

SPEAKER_00 8:50

It was the left that rejected him, and he wanted Jesus to show his, I guess, like authority of like getting off the cross, saving them, saving himself. Yeah. Instead of instead of repenting for what he done and accept Jesus and have faith in him, he'd rather he'd rather do it that way instead of doing it the right way.

SPEAKER_01 9:14

And the one on the other side, he told he asked Jesus, don't forget me in paradise.

SPEAKER_00 9:22

Yeah. And just the guy on the right, he repented for his sins and believed in the kingdom of God. So at that moment, he was saved. And then after the death of Jesus, the world was covered in darkness, and the earthquake split the temple veil. And what's crazy is like scientists now say like around the time that they expect this to go on, that there was a like a lunar eclipse or some type of eclipse. I don't know if it's lunar or solar, but so it kind of proves that point of that the world went dark. It's kind of crazy.

SPEAKER_01 10:07

Darkness filled darkness.

SPEAKER_00 10:09

Science has proven the Bible again.

SPEAKER_01 10:14

Exactly.

SPEAKER_00 10:16

And in Holy Saturday is the day Jesus was laid to rest in the tomb. His faithful worshipers showed their love and celebrated his life at the tomb. And then Easter Sunday symbolizes Jesus' resurrection three days after his death. It shows us that there is victory past sin and death, and offers us hope for a new life. Jesus loved us enough to die on the cross for everyone. He was beaten and humiliated humiliated, but he never gave up on us. But what's crazy is by the request of Jesus, God was going to send 70,000 angels, obviously, like I said, for his if if it was Jesus' request. But he had a plan to die on the cross. He wanted us, he wanted us to have a chance to live our lives and have the chance to spend eternity with him. And one thing that kind of shows his character and how he was a holy person, holy God, holy son of God, was Father forgive them for they know not what they do, as Luke 23, 34. His love for us is so great that he let all this happen to him and he stopped God from destroying the world. And yet a lot of people in the world still reject him. So, Josh, is there anything you want to add to this before we end the episode?

SPEAKER_01 11:53

Um, I I think you you explained the Easter story very well.

SPEAKER_00 11:59

I I just got a little tongue-tied there for a little for that little about the criminals, you know.

SPEAKER_01 12:10

The question is have you ever had a moment in your life where it felt like everything was over? You know, you done something and you knew there was no coming back, um something happened, and you knew after that happened nothing was gonna be the same. Um that's kind of how it felt like on Good Friday. And even on that Saturday, too. You know, Jesus was beaten, he was whipped, punched, he had his hair get pulled out, he was spat on, he was mocked, he got thorns on his head, he carried um after all that he had to carry a heavy cross, he got nailed to on his hands and feet, and he died. And people were watching. There was a big crowd watching him, and um some of the people watching him was sad, you know, they were followers of him, and um they was crying, and others was celebrating his death, you know, when they hit they hung him on the cross, the guards was um playing for his clothes, they was making bets for his garments.

SPEAKER_00 13:29

Can I add something to it? Um, you know, there was people celebrating him on Palm Sunday, that was rejected him on the day of his crucifixion. Yeah, that's crazy. A week changed in people's lives. Right there. It changed that that's how that's how quick that your stance on things can change, or your personality can change in just that one in a couple of days, actually.

SPEAKER_01 14:02

Right. And at that moment, it looked like death, hell, and the grave, all three have one. Um, it looked like evil had one. And Saturday af the Saturday after it was nothing but silence. There was no miracles that was happening. There was no answers that could be answered, no answers to any questions, only silence. And that's the been a feeling, you know. You're you're curious, you're on the edge of your um edge of your seat, and you don't know what's to come, you don't know what the fate of the world is about to be. So I can't even imagine the feeling. But what they didn't know was that Sunday was coming, and it was gonna change their lives forever. Sunday was when the stone rolled away, the tomb was empty, and our Jesus was alive. What looked like an evil victory had turned into a miracle from God. And we can bring this into our personal lives. You know, some of us may be stuck in a Saturday. Whatever you may be facing, whether it's drugs, alcohol, depression, anxiety, sickness. Right now it seems quiet, it seems like a heavy, heavy burden. It feels like nothing's gonna change. But um, if you're in a Saturday, guess what? Guess what day of the week comes after Saturday? Sunday comes. And when Sunday comes, you don't give up because God's working on you and he's fighting the battle for you, he's bringing victory, and he's bringing you out of that grave that you're stuck in. You're stuck in a grave, but that's not where it ends because our God is alive and he's still rolling stones. So always remember what you went through on a Friday, what you may feel like you're stuck in a Saturday, your Sunday is coming.

SPEAKER_00 16:20

Amen. I like I like what you said there, Josh. Um, you know, when we have those dark days that feel like hopelessness, we always gotta remember that the next day is a new day.

SPEAKER_01 16:41

Yeah, our God is in control. So no matter how much you think the battle is over, that you lost the battle, that has victory, think again because our God is working it out. He's got miracles planned out, and your Sunday's coming, just like our Sunday came when our Jesus rose again and he claimed victory. So your Sunday's coming.

SPEAKER_00 17:10

Okay, so um I found found that verse. Find it. That was time about a minute ago. I lost it. Whoops. I think it was um Don't know where it's at. I just lost it. I think it was um This is why I used the Bible Not your phone. Anyways, it it it was just like the It was a saying like he saved others, but he can't save himself. And that he was a king of Israel and that he could take himself off the cross. It was pretty it was it was something it was it was something along those lines that ain't gonna be everyone ex ain't exact that. But before we leave the podcast, I have a little message about the cross. A lot of people don't really understand like why is the cross a symbol of Christianity when that was where Jesus was crucified. And but it's simple is our symbol of hope, you know, like Superman. He has that logo on his chest and they say us hope for us. Like if you look at the screen, look at the shirt, that that cross is our hope. The cross wasn't the end for Jesus because he rose again three days later. And one thing I'd like to point out is on Palm Sunday when Jesus rode into Reusham on a donkey, if you look on a donkey's back, you can see an outline of a cross. You know, around Easter time, if you look up in the pine trees, what do you see on top of them?

SPEAKER_01 19:18

You see a cross.

SPEAKER_00 19:20

This isn't a coincidence. It's God reminding us time and time again that Jesus sacrificed his life for us. He gave his life so we could live ours. And before we go, I'm gonna say this verse, it's a well-known verse, it's John 3 16, for God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have eternal life.

SPEAKER_01 19:53

Amen.

SPEAKER_00 19:58

Um I think we should a lot I think a lot of people don't take Easter as serious as Christmas. That's just my personal opinion.

SPEAKER_01 20:12

Yeah. Um Christmas is great because it's the birth of our savior.

SPEAKER_00 20:19

And that alone is a prophecy too. You know, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 20:22

One day the synagogue was birth of our savior, we we really couldn't have Easter.

SPEAKER_00 20:27

Yeah, we wouldn't have Easter, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 20:29

But because of our Savior being born, we have Easter, and we no longer have to worry about our sins because we know our sins are paid for because of what happened on Easter.

SPEAKER_00 20:45

But as long as we repent for what we do, yes. We just can't live a a simple life and expect us to be saved just because he died on the cross, we're not we can't live a certain way. Or the way we're supposed to live as a is like Christians. We're supposed to we're supposed to chase the image of God even though we won't ever make it there.

SPEAKER_01 21:17

Right.

SPEAKER_00 21:19

And obviously we're gonna be we're gonna sin. Everybody does, can't help it, but every day we're supposed to sincerely repent and just try our best to be the best versions of ourselves. But I think that's a good place to end the episode.

SPEAKER_01 21:48

Yeah. Um I hope y'all feel felt inspired and um felt loved because of what Jesus went through for me and for you.

SPEAKER_00 22:00

Mm-hmm. And one other reason why I thought, you know, to begin with, I had an idea of doing an Easter episode was because I remember when I was in middle school, I might have been in the seventh grade, maybe. At my church at the time, at the church I went to at the time, we did an Easter play. And my stepgrandpa, that's back when he was still alive. It might have been a couple months before he died, I can't remember. It might have been a year before. I I can't I can't remember. But you know, after the Easter play we got was over, we was out in the parking lot and he said, you know, I don't know if my kids know the real meaning of Easter. And then I saw I was thinking about that, and I was like, you know, I think we ought to do an Easter episode. Because I bet a lot of people don't really understand the the magnitude of Easter. I think a lot of people see it as dress up and take pictures.

SPEAKER_01 23:06

Yeah, it's more than peeps and bunny rabbits.

SPEAKER_00 23:12

Yeah. And taking pictures and just getting ready for a sunrise service or a regular service, whatever people's traditions are. It's a it's Easter Sunday service is more important than it's not more important, but it's big to be at, especially if you if you learn especially if you pay attention in that service, so you actually understand what's how Easter came to be and why it's important.

SPEAKER_01 23:49

And if you're listening and you do not go to church, or you don't have a place where you can go to church, find you a place. Because I mean that it's no better place to be than with other people worshiping.

SPEAKER_00 24:05

And I'm sure wherever you're at, I'm sure there's a good church around you. Yeah. Somewhere. If they ain't close and drive there. It's worth it.

SPEAKER_01 24:20

Listen, I don't care if y'all come with me. If you're around our area, listen, I'll slide over.

SPEAKER_00 24:26

And I I'll tell you this, um that at my church, um, there's a couple that comes some Sundays, and they're friends with our preacher. They come from Macon, which is two hours away. So no distance is far enough. So just remember that.

SPEAKER_01 24:55

Right. We have people, or not from my church, but from my sister's church, people that drive from Statesboro and from um Biden. Yeah. Just gonna make sure you go to the right one because not every church is yeah, find you a spirit-filled, spirit-led church.

SPEAKER_00 25:28

But, anyways, if you're watching on YouTube, go listen to us on Apple. If you're on Apple, go follow us on or subscribe and like, comment on YouTube. And remember, keep seeking your purpose.