Easter poems
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But Ye Would Not
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!
Matthew 23:37
Do you know, oh man, that with mighty hands
I formed you from the earth,
Breathed in you the breath of life
And gave you strength and worth.
I made you in My own image
With a soul that would live always.
I wanted to enjoy our fellowship
As you walked with Me all your days.
I made you ruler over all I’d made
And gave you your own free will.
Only one demand was placed on you
That My commandment you would fulfil.
But ye would not obey what I had said.
In wilful pride you broke My word.
You allowed sin to corrupt the world
And a barrier between us now occurred.
Yet My love for you continued still
As I called out a people for My name.
I freed them from bondage, gave them My law
And protected them when danger came.
I gave them a land of milk and honey –
The very best that I could give.
I set up My temple among them
So that I would with them there live.
I sent My prophets to tell them My word
And correct them when they did stray.
How often would I have gathered them to Me
And been their hope and their stay.
But ye would not repent of your ways,
For desiring to have your own kings,
For replacing Me in your lives
And worshipping idols and other things.
It grieved Me so to be thus replaced
But again My love for you remained strong.
I now gave up what was most precious
Although you continued to do wrong.
I sent My own Son to dwell on earth
To live among you and preach of Me.
He came in the likeness of human flesh –
In weakness and humility.
His birth fulfilled the prophecies.
The life He lived no sin did mar.
He healed the sick, raised the dead
And performed miracles near and far.
But ye would not accept Him as Messiah
And by lies He was falsely tried.
He was whipped, beaten, bruised and scarred
And as a criminal crucified.
As My own dear Son hung there
He prayed that I would forgive.
He then bore the separation due men’s sin
And died that men may live.
Yet gloriously He rose again –
Conquering death; eternal life to provide.
He was seen of thousands of witnesses,
Although this truth the priests did hide.
I’ve now left My witness in the world,
Both the Holy Spirit and My Word.
The great commission has been given
For My disciples to preach till all have heard.
But ye would not all turn from your sin.
Ye would not their report believe.
With hardened hearts and selfishness
To your wicked ways you do cleave.
Still I would see all men saved;
I desire none to perish.
I hate the sin that men commit
But His soul is what I cherish.
This time of grace must soon end,
Then my judgement will be known.
Terror, war, death and famine –
With travail the earth will groan.
Until Christ comes as righteous King;
A thousand years to reign.
After which will come the final judgement.
Your eternal home Christ will then ordain.
Will you acknowledge God as Creator
And give Him all of your heart?
Will you believe that Christ died for you
And in His Kingdom have a part?
By Judith Searle
March 2005
Gaze in Wonder
Let us for a moment
Place in our mind’s eye
The image of the cross
On which Christ did die.
Gaze on it with wonder;
Stop and meditate.
See the form there clearly;
Look and contemplate.
Stare closely at the cross;
What details come to you?
Can you see a body
In your field of view?
Beaten, broken, bleeding,
His strength failing fast,
Hanging in agony,
Soon to breathe His last.
Do you look on this scene
And feel grieved within?
Do you believe that Christ
Died there for your sin?
What sacrifice He made!
What love there was shown!
Why do men hide their face
And the Lord disown?
Does this scene bring you peace?
Knowing that in love
Christ did reconcile us
To our God above.
He made a way for us
To enter Heaven’s rest
And through His righteousness
We’ll be forever blessed.
Oh what joy the cross brings
To those who understand
That before the world was
Its purpose was planned.
For God would not leave us
Without hope and lost
But for redemption
Christ’s blood would be the cost.
Does the cross show anything
To you on this day?
Would you gaze upon it
Then hasten on your way?
Would you forget quickly
The image there seen?
Not wanting to accept
What Christ’s death does mean.
Oh be not self-deceived
But linger awhile still.
See how victory was gained
According to God’s will.
For Christ’s no longer dead –
He arose again!
He lives to intercede
On behalf of men.
May the cross be precious
To your mind and heart.
May its blessed message
From you not depart.
Let it now and ever
Bring you joy and peace.
From its contemplation
May you never cease.
By Judith Searle 2012
One Thought For Christ
That time of year is here again;
How quickly it comes around!
Time off work, a long weekend;
How wonderful it all does sound.
A game of sport or a visit with friends
Or just time to relax and unwind.
Good Friday comes and swiftly ends
And amidst it all you may find:
Not one thought for Christ today.
Oh, maybe you to church did go
As is tradition this time of year.
You sung part of a hymn you know
And sat back the message to hear.
But when the service came to a close
What of the message did you recall?
Did you hear that Christ died and arose?
Were your thoughts turned to Christ at all?
Not one thought for Christ today.
Maybe you ate a hot cross bun
As you would any other meal.
But did you think of God’s Son,
And how your indifference makes Him feel?
He who left His glorious state
And took upon Himself the likeness of men.
Who lived as a servant, facing men’s hate,
Preaching the only way to get to heaven.
Not one thought for Christ today.
Many believed Him and His word,
Seeing His miracles and love He gave.
But others rejected what they heard
And refused to believe His power to save.
With cruel hands, in envy and hatred,
With false witness He was tried.
Bruised and beaten, to Calvary led
And among transgressors He was crucified.
Not one thought for Christ today.
Of His agony, we can never know,
As He became a sacrifice for us.
What love for sinners He did show,
As willingly He suffered thus.
The crowd around did mock and stare
But it was for them He died.
Only love could have kept Him there
As, “Forgive them Father,” He cried.
Not one thought for Christ today.
Oh, you who these words hear,
How does knowing this make you feel?
Will you ignore, or mock, or jeer?
Or will you humbly before Him kneel?
Think on that sacrifice made.
Confess your sin and to Him pray.
For you sin’s price He paid;
Give a thought for Christ today.
By Judith Searle
Shall I Crucify Your King?
Pilate stood before a mocking crowd
From which cruel scorn did ring.
He cleared his throat and called aloud,
“Shall I crucify your King?”
This One in whom no fault was found,
Who would not argue His own case,
Who healed the sick the land around,
Now stood before them in disgrace.
“He is not our king,” they did reply,
“We have no king but Caesar.”
So Heaven’s King was condemned to die,
Although no sin His name could mar.
A sign hung above as He was crucified.
‘King of the Jews’ it read.
“Don’t call Him our king,” they cried,
“But only that that is what he said.”
Such hardened hearts! Such falsehood!
How could they be so blind?
Did they not see that before them stood,
The God and Creator of mankind?
Yet before you now too does stand,
This same King of the Jews.
He shows the nail prints in each hand
And you have the option to choose.
Will you crucify Him afresh today
By your pride and stubborn will?
“He is not my king,” do you now say,
“I’ll hold on to my sinfulness still.
I refuse now to bow the knee.
To His authority I will not submit.
I care not what He has done for me;
Into my plans He does not fit.”
Oh blinded one and so deceived
How can you be so proud?
The Devil’s lies you have believed.
You but furnish your own shroud.
Repent this hour and find peace –
From sin and self be free.
From your own wisdom please now cease
And find hope for eternity.
Make your choice as you may;
Each is given a free will.
But know there’s coming a day
Where every tongue will be still.
Then there will be no chance
To change the choices made now.
Christ will have preeminence –
Then every knee to Him will bow.
By Judith Searle 2008
Walked Away Free
The governor answered and said unto them, Whether of the twain will ye that I release unto you? They said, Barabbas. Pilate saith unto them, What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ? They all say unto him, Let him be crucified… Then released he Barabbas unto them: and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified.
Matthew 27:21, 22, 26
The Bible tells of Jesus Christ coming to earth as the Son of Man.
It relates His birth in a manger in the town of Bethlehem.
His great works and His miracles are explained in His life story,
But the most important event of His life was His death upon Calvary.
The Lord Jesus was brought before Pilate and accused of claiming to be Christ, a King,
Yet Pilate could find no fault with Him after further questioning.
So, he sent Him to Herod when he discovered he was of Galilee.
Herod at first was glad for a chance the Lord Jesus to see.
However, his joy turned to mocking when he heard Him accused thus,
And he sent Him back to Pilate who found Him still guiltless.
To satisfy the people, Pilate devised a plan,
He offered to release the murderer, Barabbas, or Jesus, the miracle man.
Pilate expected Jesus to be released but the people cried,
"Release unto us Barabbas and let Jesus be crucified!"
So, on that day a guilty sinner walked away free,
While the sinless Son of God died upon a tree.
We all must realize that we are as Barabbas on that day,
Jesus died in our place – sin’s debt to repay.
He hung on that cross and suffered instead of you and me,
That we may walk free of sin’s chains and live for all eternity.
By Judith Searle
An Eyewitness Account of Easter
A tumult outside in the square
Beckoned me over there
To see what was the affair.
Upon my approach the noise ceased.
One was to be released
As it was the governor's feast.
Before the people Pilate stood
To release whom they would.
But their request was not good.
They asked Barabbas be set free.
This made no sense to me.
He was known to be guilty.
Why did the other man not win?
In him was found no sin.
But the crowd would not give in.
Thus, as the people did so urge,
Barabbas did emerge,
But the other they did scourge.
"Crucify him," the crowd did call.
Guards took him to the hall.
I'll await what will befall.
"They come through now," I heard it said.
By me Jesus was led;
A crown he wore on his head.
His cross was hard for him to bear;
It rubbed the scourge marks there.
One was called the load to share.
Finally, to the place we came.
Golgotha was its name.
It's known as a place of shame.
The cross was lifted up on high.
There he was left to die.
Many people passed him by.
"Do you see that form on the tree?
He claimed God's son to be.
Oh, what utter blasphemy!"
A plaque was placed above his head.
"King of the Jews," it read.
They told me that's what he said.
He whom they said could calm the sea,
Now hung in agony,
As himself he could not free.
All around me the crowd did jeer
But I moved to get near.
I wanted his words to hear.
His words will with me ever stay
In my mind from that day.
"Forgive them," I heard him pray.
By his side the thief’s heart was stirred
And he believed Jesus' word.
Paradise was his, I heard.
In Jesus' face victory I read.
"It is finished," he said.
But what hope's there for the dead?
I turned from him and went my way.
What strange things he did say!
I had no desire to stay.
"The temple veil is rent in twain!"
People shout the refrain,
As I hurry down the lane.
Some said they saw the dead arise.
Surely they all speak lies,
But look at the blackened skies.
Was he really God as he said?
To such thoughts I was led.
Surely not if he is dead.
Days passed and I felt numb inside.
With myself I do chide:
Why had an innocent man died?
But what is this come to my ear?
Jesus did now appear
To a multitude near here.
His disciples say he arose;
Defeating all his foes.
He is God this surely shows.
"He died to give us life," they say.
"His death was the one way
The debt for man's sin to pay."
"Forgive me Jesus," I did cry.
Now I understand why:
For my sins You had to die!
I'll not forget what You went through
To give me life anew.
Help me now to live for You.
By Judith Searle 2006
It Is Finished!
“When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.” John 19:30
As Jesus hung on the cross to be crucified,
He gave one last cry before He died.
It was not a call of misery,
But the call of Christ's victory!
"It is finished," cried God's Son,
For the battle had been fought and the war had been won.
Christ's death on the cross was the winning blow,
The Devil is now a defeated foe.
So remember if you face the Devil today,
The words that the Lord Jesus did say.
"It is finished," was what He cried,
And we are on the victory side.
By Judith Searle