simply Easter.

After such a busy few days with so much transition, the truths and beauties of this Easter have been simple ones.

Giving Jesus to two little ones in a relevant way does bring out the simple beauty of every season, anyway. 

"Why DIDN't He get off the cross, Mama?" Lily asked upon reading that soldiers mocked Jesus.  "'Cause of the nails?"

Simple beauty Easter truth: No.  Because of Love.  Love kept Him there.  For ME.

"It is love that believes the resurrection. It is, conversely, the resurrection of Jesus that awakens love—love for him, love for one another, love for God’s world. This is the message of Easter. This is the message of hope. This is the message for, and through, the whole church, through all of us together. This is the message of Jesus. May it be so for us, in us and not least through us."
~ N.T. Wright, from Surprised by Scripture

And Matt hadn't planned on preaching this morning at church. But it gave him a chance to preach some more simple truths.  

Because He lives, there need not be death.

There need not be fear.

And sin, the kingdom of darkness, no longer need dominate.

Beautiful simple Easter truth: No more death.  No more fear.  No more domination of sin.

Beautiful Easter truth: the cross isn't a symbol.  It's a reality.  God, at the end of things, with His arms outstretched.

That's our hope for Haiti.  That's the hope for the world.  That's the hope for me.

Praise the Lord, all that beautiful simple Easter truth, and WE KNOW HIM.  

Beat death.  Changed everything.

And we know Him.