EASTER’S ANSWER
Proverbs 20:9 ESV
9 Who can say, “I have made my heart pure;
I am clean from my sin”?
In our chapter of Proverbs for today, there are two questions. Many statements, but only two that ask questions. One deals with people who proclaim that they are good and loyal. Verse six says, “Many will say they are loyal friends, but who can find one who is truly reliable?” NLT. Although the truly reliable are rare, they are out there. I have been blessed to be surrounded by some truly reliable people on the staff at the church. I have some loyal, reliable friends. I have been privileged to be married for 43 years to a woman who is truly reliable and children who fit into that category. The truly reliable are out there. But the next question, our verse for today, only has one answer.
Who can say, “I have made my heart pure; I am clean from my sin”? The correct answer is no one can say that. If we could make our hearts pure and cleanse ourselves then Jesus had no reason to come. This is a reason we celebrate Easter, or Resurrection Sunday. We are celebrating the fact that Jesus came and paid the price for our sins. And not only that, He cleansed us from our sins. Revelation 1:5-6 says, “and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.” NKJ. It is Jesus who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood. It is Jesus who has made us new creations, kings, and priests to God. We did not and could not do this ourselves, but because of His love and the Father’s great plan, those of us who have received Jesus as our Lord and Savior can say with confidence our hearts have been made pure, and we are clean from our sin!
So, on Easter, we celebrate the answer to the problem that was unsolvable to man. Jesus paid the full price. He has done it! And Christ is risen. He is risen indeed!