Sunday Morning Session
Eternity’s Great Gifts: Jesus Christ’s Atonement, Resurrection, Restoration
Excerpts
Years ago, our early morning gospel class memorized Bible verses. Naturally I was drawn to short passages. This included John 11:35—the shortest verse in scripture, only two words—“Jesus wept.”
For me now, that Jesus weeps in sorrow and joy testifies of the miraculous reality: the divine Son of God came into physical mortality and learned according to the flesh how always to be with and bless us.
When we cry out in grief or joy, Jesus Christ understands perfectly. He can be present in the moments when we most need eternity’s great gifts: Jesus Christ’s Atonement, Resurrection, restoration. …
Easter in Jesus Christ lets us feel God’s approbation. This world tells us we are too tall, too short, too wide, too narrow—not smart, pretty, or spiritual enough. Through spiritual transformation in Jesus Christ, we can escape debilitating perfectionism. …
God’s plan of moral and mortal agency allows us to learn by our own experience. … In love, Jesus Christ descended below and ascended above all things. He rejoices in our divine capacities for creativity and delight, kindness without hope for reward, faith unto repentance and forgiveness. And He weeps in sorrow at the enormity of our human suffering, cruelty, unfairness—often brought by human choice—as do the heavens and the God of heaven with them. …
This is Easter in Jesus Christ: He answers the longings of our hearts and the questions of our souls. He wipes away our tears, except our tears of joy.