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Easter with Jesus
When Jesus was at his hometown he read from the Prophet Isaiah:
“The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor.”
And upon reading these words he sat down and said, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”
The call of Jesus to visit prisoners reverberates through the centuries. As this Easter approached, I prepared to travel to Columbus, Ohio to visit prisoners. I was headed with Operation Starting Line to two prisons in Ohio. Operation Starting Line is a group of twenty-four Christian ministries that have come together to reach prisoners. On Saturday we traveled to London Correctional Institution. The program that was held was dynamic. We mingled and visited with the men and talked to them about Jesus, His death and glorious resurrection.
One man in particular, Michael, told of his experience in the prison and the community in the prison. He lives in a cellblock called “Interfaith”, where fellow believers live. They have Bible Study and Michael is a leader within the church. He is discipling 12 men and leading the men’s choir. God is raising up men like Michael who are thoroughly acquainted with their sin, but even more acquainted with the forgiveness that can be found in Jesus.
We also brought the message of hope in Jesus to the inmates of the Ohio Reformatory for Women. On the morning of the resurrection we gathered in a completely packed auditorium to worship Jesus and hear the story of his resurrection. The hope that Jesus brings, to those who previously had no hope, demonstrates the power of the Gospel. Jesus was always bringing the marginalized of society into His Kingdom.
Mark Earley and Chuck Colson spoke to the women inmates at the worship service. They said, “We love you and we want you to know that we are not here because you are so bad. We are here because we believe that God is raising up a new generation of leaders for His Church—right here behind prison bars,” said Mark Earley. Throughout human history, God has been raising up leaders, not the kind, gentle men that you and I would choose to lead our organizations… but rather He chose a murderer and fugitive like Moses and a co-conspirator in the death of Stephen like Paul. The same is true today, God is raising up a generation of leaders from within prison walls to lead the people of God. Isn’t it just like God to choose the most wretched of sinners and turn them into a trophy of grace for His glory?
God’s Spirit descended suddenly upon an overflowing gymnasium of over 500 women as they responded to the message of the Gospel. Mark Earley invited the women to turn around and kneel by their chairs if they would like to receive Christ. Eyes were filled with tears and tissue boxes were handed out as at least 70 women kneeled and prayed to accept Christ.
This joyful celebration on the day marking our Savior’s resurrection was filled with women deciding to follow Jesus. Chuck Colson said that this was the kind of outpouring that he hadn’t seen since his visit to an Atlanta Penitentiary in 1976, the year Prison Fellowship started. God is still calling Moseses, Pauls, Esthers and Davids to follow Him and be transformed into the leaders of the church.
As we saw the hearts of those behind prison walls turn toward the resurrected Savior, there was one thing that was sure; this Easter was spent in the presence of the resurrected Savior, King Jesus.
Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.' Then the righteous will answer him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?' And the King will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.' - Matthew 25:34-40
