“He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay.” — Matthew 28:6
Could Easter be more than colored eggs, chocolate, and bunny rabbits? What if it is much, much more? Perhaps it’s a true story about the life and death of a man named Jesus (who really did rise from the dead)? That is to say, what if Jesus is truly alive right now? This truth might just change your life.
Last weekend, we witnessed how the truth about the radiance of Jesus’ Resurrection changed lives. It was one of our largest attended weekend services ever. On top of that, close to 70 people responded to the Gospel message!
Radiance
I don’t know about you, but in the midst of Peeps, chocolate, jelly beans, and Reese’s eggs, the meaning of Easter brings an incredible blessing to my life. Without a doubt, we need to remember the reasons that Jesus had to die. Equally important is why we can have tremendous hope because of the Radiance of the Resurrection.
First of all, our sin put Jesus on that cross. However, three days later, He rose from the dead, victorious over sin and death. We must always remember that the Resurrection sets Jesus apart from all other religious leaders.
Secondly, the Resurrection gives us hope. There are certainly many great and influential religious leaders. But they are all… dead. Think about it. Ask a Muslim where their leader is. They would point to Medina, present-day Saudi Arabia. Mohammed is also still dead, still in his grave. The same applies to Buddha, Confucius, Sun Yung Moon, Herbert W. Armstrong, etc.
He Is Risen
Only in Christianity do we find a resurrected Lord. Where is Jesus buried? We can only point to an empty tomb near Jerusalem. By the way, the tomb currently has a sign on the door that says, “He is not here, he is risen!”
Because Jesus died (and rose from the dead), He can offer eternal life to all who place their faith in Him. All we need to do is to repent of our sins and ask Him to forgive us. It says in Ephesians 2:8-9 (NIV), “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-not by works, so that no one can boast.” God’s redemption is by grace through faith. Not religion, but relationship.
I like this quote: “The Christian is not somebody who accepts a religion. A Christian is somebody who has a relationship with God.” Don’t wait. Enter into a relationship with Jesus today.
Does Easter mean more than beans to you and me? You bet your Peeps it does!
He is risen,
Pastor Bill
Posted in A Word from the Pastor