Easter 2026

Important WORDS

Mercy - The Compassionate withholding of deserved punishment and the extension of lovingkindness and favor.

Grace - unmerited, freely given favor, love and kindness of God toward humanity, providing salvation and strength that cannot be earned.

Old Testament

Exodus 25:17–22 CSB

Make a mercy seat of pure gold, forty-five inches long and twenty-seven inches wide. Make two cherubim of gold; make them of hammered work at the two ends of the mercy seat.

Exodus 25:17–22 CSB

Make one cherub at one end and one cherub at the other end. At its two ends, make the cherubim of one piece with the mercy seat. The cherubim are to have wings spread out above, covering the mercy seat with their wings, and are to face one another. The faces of the cherubim should be toward the mercy seat. Set the mercy seat on top of the ark and put the tablets of the testimony that I will give you into the ark.

Exodus 25:17–22 CSB

I will meet with you there above the mercy seat, between the two cherubim that are over the ark of the testimony; I will speak with you from there about all that I command you regarding the Israelites.

New Testament

John 20:11–18 CSB

But Mary stood outside the tomb, crying. As she was crying, she stooped to look into the tomb. She saw two angels in white sitting where Jesus’s body had been lying, one at the head and the other at the feet. They said to her, “Woman, why are you crying?” “Because they’ve taken away my Lord,” she told them, “and I don’t know where they’ve put him.” Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know it was Jesus. “Woman,” Jesus said to her, “why are you crying? Who is it that you’re seeking?” Supposing he was the gardener, she replied, “Sir, if you’ve carried him away, tell me where you’ve put him, and I will take him away.” Jesus said to her, “Mary.” Turning around, she said to him in Aramaic, “Rabboni!”—which means “Teacher.” “Don’t cling to me,” Jesus told her, “since I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and tell them that I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.” Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them what he had said to her.

Exodus angels were on either end of the mercy seat - now on either end of THE MERCY SEAT

Under the LAW of Moses, the High Priest would sprinkle blood between the angels on the Mercy Seat, in the TOMB Jesus’ blood was between where the angels were sitting.

In the Ark of the Covenant there was manna which sustained the Nation of Israel in the 40 years of the wilderness - Jesus is the bread of life which sustains us always

In the Ark of the Covenant was the budding staff of Aaron the High Priest - Aaron is dead, all the high priests would eventually die - But JESUS is our High Priest forever, sitting at the right hand of the Father BECAUSE IT IS FINISHED!

In the Ark was the Law of Moses - In Jesus the Law is fulfilled!

And Jesus said what:

It is FINISHED, not I AM FINISHED!

Because the fulfillment of the LAW of Moses was FINISHED! But there is still more to do!

Don’t Cling to Me

Old Testament - God the Father is the Focus pointing toward Jesus

Gospels God the SON is the Focus pointing toward the Holy Spirit

Acts forward - The HOLY SPIRIT pointing to the KINGDOM!

John 16:7 CSB

Nevertheless, I am telling you the truth. It is for your benefit that I go away, because if I don’t go away the Counselor will not come to you. If I go, I will send him to you.

LIVE IN THE SPIRIT!