Happy Easter season, Brothers  & Sisters!  I absolutely love this time of year.  It’s a time of new beginnings as flowers begin to fill the air with their alluring aroma and chirping bird sing their sweet melodies as they busily fly to and fro, equally as joyful that spring is upon us.

But there’s another reason I love this time of year.  It’s a time to remember what Jesus did for each of us.  As our dance company prepares for our annual Easter show, I’m astounded by His love for us.  The suffering He endured so we could be free breaks my heart, yet fills me with an overwhelming sense of joy and gratitude…all at the same time.

The fact of the matter is, He died for you.  Even if you had been the only person in the whole world, throughout all history who needed saving, He still would have endured every moment of that suffering… because He loves you that much.

As Easter approaches, take a moment to thank Jesus for giving His life as a ransom for your heart.

Isaiah 53:4-12 [He did it for you…take a moment to make it personal.]

⁴ Yet it was ______ weaknesses he carried;
it was ______ sorrows that weighed him down.
And ______ thought his troubles were a punishment from God,
a punishment for his own sins!
⁵ But he was pierced for ______ rebellion,
crushed for ______ sins.
He was beaten so ______ could be whole.
He was whipped so ______ could be healed.
⁶ All of us (including ______), like sheep, have strayed away.
______ have left God’s paths to follow ______ own.
Yet the Lord laid on him
the sins of us all (including ______).

⁷ He was oppressed and treated harshly,
yet he never said a word.
He was led like a lamb to the slaughter.
And as a sheep is silent before the shearers,
he did not open his mouth.
⁸ Unjustly condemned,
he was led away.
No one cared that he died without descendants,
that his life was cut short in midstream.
But he was struck down
for the rebellion of ______.
⁹ He had done no wrong
and had never deceived anyone.
But he was buried like a criminal;
he was put in a rich man’s grave.

¹⁰ But it was the Lord’s good plan to crush him
and cause him grief.
Yet when his life is made an offering for sin,
he will have many descendants.
He will enjoy a long life,
and the Lord’s good plan will prosper in his hands.
¹¹ When he sees all that is accomplished by his anguish,
he will be satisfied.
And because of his experience,
my righteous servant will make it possible
for many (including ______) to be counted righteous,
for he will bear all ______ sins.
¹² ______ will give him the honors of a victorious soldier,
because he exposed himself to death.
He was counted among the rebels.
He bore the sins of many (including ______) and interceded for rebels.

Rejoice, friends!  Jesus is alive and His power is MIGHTY to save!

-Lindsie

P.S. I’d also like to extend an invitation to anyone who may wish to join us this year for Once Upon a Tree.  The concert will be held Palm Sunday weekend (Saturday, April 16^th and Sunday, April 17^th at 7pm) at the Brookings United Methodist church.  Proceeds from the concert will go to benefit Mark Winquist and his family as they stand on the promises of God in their battle against cancer.