Joni Eareckson Tada: Sharing Hope

Shana: This is Shana on Joni Eareckson Tada: Sharing Hope. And here's our dear Joni with a few thoughts for Easter week.

Joni Eareckson Tada: Perhaps the best thought about Easter is in Philippians chapter 2 where we are told to have an Easter mindset. Let me read it for you. It says, "Have this same mindset as Christ Jesus, who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to His own advantage; rather, He made Himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name that is above every name, and that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

I read that and I think of Easter because we are to have that same mindset as Christ. Oh, to humble ourselves, to approach life as He did, to die to ourselves and say, "I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who lives, but Christ who lives in me." The life we now live in the flesh should be solely for the Son of God, who loved us and gave Himself for us. That is having an Easter mindset, and it is why Jesus died: so that you could live like that, so that you could live like Him. One of my favorite poems for Easter is actually a hymn, but it so speaks of Christ's mindset and what should be our mindset for Easter. I have to read it to you—and maybe because it's a hymn, I'll try singing it to you.

Stricken, smitten, and afflicted, see Him dying on the tree! 'Tis the Christ by man rejected; yes, my soul, 'tis He, 'tis He! 'Tis the long-expected Prophet, David's son, yet David's Lord; by His Son God now has spoken: 'tis the true and faithful Word.

Tell me, ye who hear Him groaning, was there ever grief like His? Friends through fear His cause disowning, foes insulting His distress; many hands were raised to wound Him, none would interpose to save; but the deepest stroke that pierced Him was the stroke that justice gave.

And ye who think of sin but lightly nor suppose the evil great, here may view its nature rightly, here its guilt may estimate. Mark the sacrifice appointed, see who bears the awful load; 'tis the Word, the Lord's anointed, Son of Man and Son of God.

Here we have a firm foundation, here the refuge of the lost; Christ, the Rock of our salvation, His the name of which we boast. Lamb of God, for sinners wounded, sacrifice to cancel guilt! None shall ever be confounded who on Him their hope have built.

Shana: Listening friend, if this poem—or I should say the lyrics to this hymn, "Stricken, Smitten, and Afflicted"—if they've touched your heart, then please visit joniradio.org today and download the poem. It's so beautiful. Tack it up on your refrigerator, recite it. In fact, that special line: "Many hands were raised to wound Him, none would interpose to save; but the deepest stroke that pierced Him was the stroke that justice gave."

Justice demanded that somebody die for your sin and mine. So this week, take time to thank our Savior. Thank Jesus that He died so we might live. And now you can live to die for Him every day, and that, friend, is an Easter mindset.