(31) He taught His disciples and said to them, "The Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of men, and they will kill Him. And after He is killed, He will rise the third day."
32 But they did not understand this saying, and were afraid to ask Him.
Jesus talked about His death, because He realized what He had to do to complete the mission for which He had been sent. He knew the fallen state of humanity and was devoted to correcting the breach that had occurred, to repairing the damage of sin and death. It was a struggle for Him, as we see in the Garden of Gethsemane; it was incredibly painful, yet, He was willing to give His life out of His great love so that we might know Him.
In Matthew 27, we see a step-by-step narrative of what Jesus endured for us, to die for the sins for the world, giving His life so that we might have eternal life. We can read these words:
33 And when they had come to a place called Golgotha, that is to say, Place of a Skull,
34 they gave Him sour wine mingled with gall to drink. But when He had tasted it, He would not drink.
35 Then they crucified Him, and divided His garments, casting lots, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet: "They divided My garments among them, And for My clothing they cast lots."
36 Sitting down, they kept watch over Him there.
37 And they put up over His head the accusation written against Him: THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.
Easter Sunday is approaching, and while this is a time to reflect on what Jesus has given to us by virtue of His death and resurrection, there is also an element of retail spending that has become part of this season.
According to the summary of a study by WalletHub on its website:
Millions of Americans will celebrate Easter this year, with popular activities including going to church services, having family dinners and hunting for Easter eggs. However, many people’s celebrations will be less extravagant than normal this year, as a recent nationally-representative WalletHub survey found that nearly 7 in 10 people are planning to spend less on Easter this year compared to last year. This is largely the result of inflation and high debt levels, which have left little room for luxury holiday spending.
Just over 6-in-10 believe that inflation will be a contributing factor to their pulling back on Easter spending this year. Over 4 out of 10 don't have an Easter budget, and a similar percentage don't "feel confident" about their financial state.
There was also a question about charitable giving. The poll showed that just over half of those surveyed do not consider tax benefits when they make "religious donations."
But, even though people plan to spend less, WalletHub reports that people are planning to spend plenty: $22 billion dollars on Easter this year. $7.3 billion of that will be spent on food, $3.5 billion on clothing, and $3.1 billion of that will be devoted to candy. Just under half of respondents indicated they would put chocolate eggs or bunnies in Easter baskets for their children - half of those surveyed overall plan on having Easter baskets.
22 billion dollars does not even begin to compare with what Jesus has spent for Easter. The price that Jesus paid was of inestimable worth. Jesus paid the ultimate price - laying down His life so that we might come to know Him, so that we can be reconciled to God.
Certainly there are the celebratory elements and special events. But, when it comes right down to it, Easter is about a Savior who was totally spent, totally poured out - beaten, mocked, and crucified - so that we might be recipients of His great love that He has for us. While we certainly want to celebrate Christmas with much fervor, the truth is, the work of Jesus at Easter gives the Christmas holiday its meaning. So, we can give our all - through worship and the Word - to recognize the tremendous price that Jesus has paid for us. He was spent, He suffered, so that we might be saved.
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