Easter Day

Sun Myung Moon
April 17, 1957
1970 Translation

50: Now there was a man named Joseph from the Jewish town of Arimathea. He was a member of the council, a good and righteous man, 51: who had not consented to their purpose and deed, and he was looking for the kingdom of God. 52: This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. 53: Then he took it down and wrapped it in a linen shroud, and laid him in a rock-hewn tomb, where no one had ever yet been laid. 54: It was the day of Preparation, and the Sabbath was beginning. 55: The women who had come with him from Galilee followed, and saw the tomb, and how his body was laid; 56: then they returned, and prepared spices and ointments. On the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment.
Luke 23:50-56

God had been looking for Easter Day, the Jewish people and creation from the Fall of Man to the coming of Jesus; and we know that there have been a few people blessed with resurrection since Jesus.

God has been seeking for substantial resurrection during the 4,000 years since the degeneration of Adam and Eve. But as ill luck would have it, his cherished desire for substantial resurrection was nullified by Jesus Crucifixion due to the Jewish ignorance, consequently He has been looking for the day of substantial resurrection until today.

Few knew that Jesus' desire was not for his own sake but for the fulfillment of the desire of God. Jesus sought for the day when the whole creation has the glory of resurrection.

From birth to the crucifixion, Jesus tried to realize his cherished desire of substantial resurrection with all his might. If you don't understand this, you will hardly be concerned in the value of resurrection. In expectation of his sufferings due to the ignorance of the Jewish people, Jesus tried every possible means, with a deep heart, to avoid the way to death and hardship reaching the next generation. But mankind did not know his inner heart. Thus, though mankind rejected him, God, angels and spirit men understood him and became his friends.

Earthly friends were what he wanted. But the Israelites forsook him, even though they should have been his earthly friends. Only God and the angels became his friends. You should become the earthly people who are Jesus friends on earth.

Through the resurrection of Jesus, the whole creation came to have new master, the way was paved for mankind to make a fresh start, Jesus won the spiritual victory in the struggle against Satan. Outwardly God, having been slandered by Satan during the four thousand previous years, could experience rapture.

Yet, in fact, Jesus was to enjoy resurrection during his life, and God should have enjoyed rapture both inwardly and outwardly.

Therefore the joy of Jesus' resurrection included sorrow, because it was not what God, Jesus and whole creation had been seeking. So the joy was partial. You should know that it's your mission to bring about universal joy to God and Jesus and complete his resurrection. It is your desire and duty and Jesus' desire and duty.

Prior to enjoying the resurrection of Jesus, you should know God's and his painful course during 4,000 years, and you ought to follow his painful course of life.