Luke tells us that after Jesus rose from the dead, he spent 40 days appearing to the disciples, explaining things they did not yet know. "Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. He told them, 'This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise form the dead on the third day.'" Jesus had told his disciples this same thing several times before his death, but they didn't seem to grasp at all what he was talking about. But now that he had died and risen again, they finally saw what he meant.

Jesus' death and resurrection was then also the key to understanding the whole scriptures. Before his death, Jesus told the Chief Priests that the scriptures were all about him. The Passover points to his redemption; the laws of purity point to his holiness; the sacrifices point to his death for us; the defeat of their enemies point to his victory over the devil; and all the prophesies of the messiah are fulfilled by him. Without Jesus, the rest of the Bible is a collection of strange stories and ideas that don't make a lot of sense to human reason.

This is why, in our Lutheran School, we don't just teach about Bible characters just as heroes for us to imitate or about the Bible as a variety of stories, each with a good moral, or about God's instructions as just a set of wise principles; but we teach how everything points to and connects to Christ and what He has done to save us. The Easter story of Jesus' death and resurrection for us is the key to understanding the whole Bible.

This understanding of the Bible, seen in the light of Christ, is then also for us the key to understanding all of life, including everything that happens to us and everything we are to do day by day. How do we understand why God allows troubles to come into our life? How do we understand the reason and purpose of the many blessings we do receive? How do we understand why we should be obedient, kind, and loving toward others? It is all because of God's power and love revealed in Jesus' death and resurrection. Jesus, who died to save us, can use the worst evil for good purposes. It is never too late for God to help us. God loves, forgives, and blesses us purely for Jesus' sake. We love because He first loved us.

Everything in our life, everything we teach and do in our Lutheran School, everything we read in the Bible, and everything taught by Jesus is centered in Jesus' death and resurrection for us. This is the key to understanding.