Traditionally, people who don’t normally go to church find their way there for Easter. In fact, people who normally don’t get dressed up for any occasion find a little extra special look for Easter occasions. What about Easter seems to bring out “the best” in people? The answer is in the reason for the occasion. The Lord Jesus Christ is risen from the dead! Granted, there are some who jump on the bandwagon because it seems the thing to do, whereas others are compelled as true followers of the Lord Jesus Christ. The disciples of Jesus were empowered to carry the message that their Master died on the cross, was buried and rose from the dead because this meant that what Jesus taught was truth and what He said He came to accomplish – He accomplished! Here’s what a follower known as Paul the apostle had to say about the importance of the record of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 15:1–8 (ESV) — 1 Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, 2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 6 Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. 8 Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me.
His appearing to Paul, referenced above in verse 8, was recorded in Acts chapter 9 where Paul, known at that time as “Saul” found himself in an encounter with the risen Lord Jesus Christ that changed his life forever.
Acts 9:1–6 (ESV) — 1 But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. 3 Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. 4 And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” 5 And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. 6 But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.”
Later in Paul’s writings, he would reference this experience as a conversion experience where God humbled him to call Jesus Lord which Paul would say is a sign that the power of the Holy Spirit has come upon a person, as the Holy Spirit takes the word of God and enables that person to lay hold of the truth of the death, burial, and resurrection of the Son of God and His accomplishment to be real and sufficient for salvation.
Romans 10:8–10 (ESV) — 8 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); 9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.
That experience of a new birth is often referred to as a resurrection from being spiritually dead to alive in Christ, a result of the resurrection power of the risen Savior, bringing new life.
Ephesians 2:5–6 (ESV) — 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,
The purpose of the proclamation regarding the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ is to declare the finished work of Christ in atoning for our sins and purchasing our redemption. When the burden of sin is manifest in a person there’s now a desire for relief because there is nothing that can truly satisfy other than the solution that Christ has paid the price on their behalf. The resurrection is God’s declaring the acceptance of the payment of Christ and declaring to the world that what Jesus taught is absolute truth.
There is more! As a believer, a person is said to have been raised from being dead in sins. In fact, it is said that believers have been raised with Christ, are then charged to live their lives in that same resurrection power of the risen Christ.
2 Corinthians 5:17 (ESV) — 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
Colossians 3:1–3 (ESV) — 1 If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
Ephesians 1:18–20 (ESV) — 18 having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might 20 that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places,
Notice this benefit is making the most of the resurrected power of Christ. But it takes an enlightenment by God to put it into practice, which is an expression of “dependency.” Therefore, with that expectation of the fulfillment of this truth in every believer, God brings the power of the resurrected Christ to daily life in the believer. All that to make known as the early disciples witnessed, the power of the resurrection to those who may still be on the outside of the family of God, yet are attracted by the thought of the resurrection and know within that there’s more to the truth of the resurrection that what is passively celebrated on Easter.
The resurrection makes all the difference in salvation, in hope of the great day when Jesus returns and all that are in the graves shall be resurrected, but also in the way we live. As followers of the Lord Jesus Christ, we live by His power, the power of the resurrected Christ. That makes a celebration of Easter a daily celebration instead of once a year.
Godspeed,
Bob Brubaker, Pastor
Christ Community Presbyterian Church
Clearwater, FL
