Too often Christians downplay the resurrection unintentionally. Our gospel presentations jump from Christ’s death to the need for faith in Him. Our Easter celebrations focus more on eggs and family meals than the risen Lord. And when was the last time Christ’s resurrection came up in your prayer life? In contrast to all this, time and again the New Testament reminds us how important the resurrection of Jesus is. Here are ten reasons to make it the focus of your Easter celebration this year.
- The resurrection makes salvation possible. First Peter 1:3 says that God “caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” We are given new spiritual life because God treats those who believe in Christ as united to Him in His resurrection—we share in His life.
- Belief in the resurrection is required for salvation (Romans 10:9). It’s not just an afterthought to the cross.
- The resurrection confirms the reliability of the New Testament. If it didn’t happen, the apostles are unreliable and the entire New Testament should be questioned (1 Corinthians 15:14-15). Why should we believe the moral or religious teachings of a book if its authors were either lying or mistaken about one of their central claims? But the empty tomb and the risen Christ give us confidence that everything else written by the apostles in Scripture is true as well.
- The resurrection gives us hope of eternal life (1 Corinthians 15:21-23). Like Adam’s sin caused all humans united with him to become sinners, Jesus’ resurrection caused all humans united with Him to gain eternal life. Because of the resurrection, death isn’t the last word for believers.
- The resurrection of Jesus previews what our heavenly bodies will be like (1 Corinthians 15:49). When Paul referred to Christ as the “firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep” (1 Corinthians 15:20), he used a farming metaphor. Like the first taste of the ripening harvest indicates what the rest of the harvest will taste like, Jesus’ resurrection body indicates what the bodies of His followers will be like in the new heavens and new earth.
- The resurrection demonstrates that God the Father accepted Christ’s suffering as a full payment for sin (Romans 4:25). He didn’t remain dead because no more payment for sin was necessary. On the cross, Jesus satisfied fully the wrath of God toward the sins of His people.
- The resurrection displays the magnitude of power available to Christians in their struggle against sin (Romans 8:11). We have in us the same Holy Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead, and He offers His power to help us “put to death the deeds of the body” (Romans 8:13).
- The resurrection motivates us to turn away from sin (Colossians 3:1). Because God regards Christians as united with Christ in His resurrection, we should act like people who are spiritually alive and “put to death therefore what is earthly in [us]: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness” (Colossians 3:5).
- The resurrection proves the reliability of Old Testament prophecy. As Peter said after quoting a prophecy of David, “He foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ” (Acts 2:31).
- The resurrection confirms that Jesus was the Son of God (Romans 1:4). Who else could have risen from the dead, never to die again?
This Easter, don’t overlook the resurrection. It makes all the difference in your life. He arose! He arose! Hallelujah, Christ arose!
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