Each year Easter, comes and goes, and multitudes of people who identify as Christians go to church in remembrance of the sacrifice Jesus made for us on the cross. However, many of those who profess to believe in Christ, give little thought to our Lord and Savior once they leave that service, and return to their everyday lives.
Why do so many “Christians” treat Easter as a holy holiday, that is forgotten most of the year until the calendar once again brings it into view, much the same a Christmas? Without the resurrection of Jesus Christ, there can be no Christianity. With this in mind, what makes one think that the fulcrum of their faith need only be celebrated, observed, or contemplated once a year?
Jesus chastised the Pharisees, who observed all of the holy feasts and festivals, and told them they honored God with their lips but their hearts were far from Him (Matthew 15:8). He called them “whitewashed tombs” and said, “In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.” (Matthew 23:27-28). Similarly, throngs of people arrive at church services on Easter, that haven’t darkened the doorstep of the sanctuary since Christmas, dressed in colorful spring colors while professing an insincere belief.
He Is Risen
The resurrection of Christ is not merely a holiday but the very essence of a daily journey of faith that all true believers embark upon. It is the foundation of our relationship with the living Jesus, not simply a snapshot in time. Jesus is alive forevermore! Paul confesses in 1 Corinthians 15:14. “And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.” He is risen means His status is “raised from the dead.”
If the tomb were not empty when the women arrived that Sunday morning, we would have reason to commemorate the death of a spiritual leader and teacher and nothing more. An event without the power to save souls and reconcile humanity to God. Then those who gather once a year in remembrance of the crucifixion of Jesus could be justified in their intermittent reverence, yet remain in bondage to sin.
However, that is not what happened, and from that point forward, the words and teachings of Jesus took on eternal meaning and resonate throughout all generations. The significance of this lies in the reality that Jesus is alive and able to have an intimate, ongoing relationship with those who sincerely seek Him. Easter is so much more than simple sentimentality over the death of Jesus.
Easter Is The New Beginning
Easter is the new beginning, not simply an historical event. It is the new birth of a new covenant facilitated through Christ, the first born of all creation (Romans 8:29; Colossians 1:15, 18; Hebrews 1:6; 12:23; Revelation 1:5). Easter signifies a new creation. 2 Corinthians 5:17, teaches us, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” This is the very essence of being born again (John 3:3). Easter is as much present tense as it is past tense. Easter is here and now!
Furthermore, rather than Easter being a solemn remembrance ritual of a fallen hero, our Lord and Savior conquered death and holds all the power of heaven and earth (Matthew 28:18). Christians have reason to celebrate that Jesus is alive and occupies the highest of high ground. And this celebration of life infinitely exceeds the constraints of a religious holiday. It becomes the very life of those who sincerely follow Jesus.
Jesus’ proclamation in Luke 9:24, provides insight into what He desires from those who bear His name: “For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it.” In other words, we cannot serve Jesus and remain entrenched in the world. (Matthew 6:24-26). Simply paying lip service to the gospel while clinging to one’s sins will never break the cycle of sin that entangles and traps sinners in bondage (Hebrews 12:1-2).
Jesus was not a victim of the cross. He chose the cross, He willingly laid His life down, only to take it up again (John 10:17-18). And after He rose from the grave, He commissioned the disciples, (and those who would become His disciples), to make disciples of all nations and to spread the good news of the gospel. Then He added that He would be with them (and us) always (Matthew 28:19-20).Being always with us means being available for consultation; being available for comfort; being available to listen to our prayers; being available as a friend and confidant; being available to have a personal relationship with each of us.
The Bible says that when we surrender our lives to Christ, the Holy Spirit takes up residency inside our bodies (John 14:23; 2 Timothy 1:14; Colossians 1:27; Ephesians 3:16-17). Conversely, those who do not have Christ within them do not belong to Him (Romans 8:9).
The existence of Christ in us is an ever present availability that not only convicts us of our sin, but guides us down the narrow path that leads to righteousness. (Galatians 5:16-17). Therefore, our focus as Christians is not simply restricted to the accomplishments of the man we know as Jesus of Nazareth, but also on the personal power we have through Him as our counselor, intercessor and advocate, that enables a Christ centered life that is vibrant, active and effectual.
We love Him because He first loved us (1 John 4:19). Therefore, since we have been shown such great and immeasurable love and mercy, we have an obligation to extend that same love and mercy to our fellow man (1 John 4:11). We ought to feel compelled to live our lives in such a way that exudes a thankfulness that is too immense not to share. We shouldn’t be able to contain it!
Christians are not meant to sit back and receive grace so they can continue in self indulgence. To revel in the knowledge that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ without imitating Christ. If Christ is in us, we cannot remain infatuated with worldly values that Jesus considered sinful.
Christians Are Christ Followers
Christians are called to follow Christ. Follow is a verb and it connotes action. The Bible tells us that there are many spiritual gifts that accompany obedience to the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:7-11). Draw near to the Lord and He will draw near to you (James 4:8); seek Him and you will find Him, when you seek Him with all your heart (Jeremiah 29:13). When you listen to Him, He will listen to you. That is what a relationship is.
It is a tragedy of epic proportions that so many people who call themselves Christians suffer from such great religious apathy. They live indifferent to the resurrection of Christ most of the time and in doing so, they cannot bear fruit for God. Nor do they consider bearing fruit for God something worthwhile, since their aspirations are to build treasures on earth, or because they have become weighted down by the cares of this world.
When we speak of Christianity, so many conversations revolve around “Christian values” and “being a good person.” While these are not atrocious notions, they fail to capture the meaning of the gospel and lack the power to save. And salvation is fundamental to the Christian experience. Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 15:19, “If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men.”
Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in Me will never die.” (John 11:25). We are saved by grace, through faith (Ephesians 2:8). To believe (or to have faith) implies deep trust and confidence. To be fully persuaded in the reliability, truth, strength and ability of Jesus Christ.
True believers will have God’s laws written on their hearts (Romans 2:15), which insinuates an alignment of their will with the will of the Holy Spirit within them. The result of this alignment will be the Christian heart breaking for the same things that break the heart of God. Namely sinful behavior and the indulgence of worldly values, such as materialism, sensuality and greed.
When we see everything in Christ, we will see Christ in everything, and it is through this lens that true believers will approach life and live in such a way that bears fruit for the Lord. No one who has ever met the risen Jesus can remain unchanged. Unchanged equals unsaved (John 3:3; 2 Corinthians 5:17).
Easter, rather than simply being a date on the calendar, is the genesis of a journey with Jesus Christ that has eternal significance. Furthermore, it is a journey endowed with immediate benefits that involve loving each other as Christ has loved us (John 13:34-35). Both the journey and the destination possess indescribable rewards that are manifested through love.
Jesus declares in John 15:12-13, “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” This command cannot be constrained by a date on the calendar, nor can it be carried out through ambivalence towards Christ. If we are to call ourselves Christian, we are called to live the victory of Easter every day.
