Easter is Everything

Easter weekend is truly an amazing weekend. It starts with Good Friday, which symbolizes the most incredible event that has ever happened in history. And incredible meaning difficult or impossible to believe. Some may argue that Genesis 1:1 and the creation of the universe is in fact the most incredible event in human history. And while the creation event was awesome, it wasn’t incredible. God is the creator and creating is what creators do. God creating the universe is not incredible in the sense that it was difficult or impossible to believe, in a sense it’s the most reasonable thing that’s ever happened. It’s awesome and praise worthy, just not incredible. 

However, what God doesn’t do—the omnipotent, all-powerful, eternal God—in fact what God can’t do, is die. Throughout the eons of time, nothing more incredible has ever happened. Nothing in eternity as incredible will ever happen as the eternal God dying. Yet on Good Friday that is exactly what we celebrate. Jesus Christ—truly God and truly man—died on a cross, roughly 2,000 years ago in Israel. And if that’s where the story ended it would be anything but good. The story didn’t end there however, Sunday came and with Sunday came the most glorious news that has ever been reported. 

This news is recorded in Matthew’s Gospel, Matt 28:6, the angel speaking to the woman at the tomb said to her, “He is not here, He has risen.” Jesus Christ, very God Himself, who died for the sins of His people on Friday, didn’t stay dead. On Sunday, the tomb was empty, Jesus has been raised from the dead, defeating sin, death, and Hell in the process. No greater news has ever been proclaimed, and no greater news will ever be proclaimed till our names are read in the Book of Life and our eternity in Heaven secured. 

So, Easter weekend is an amazing weekend, but even more than an amazing weekend Easter, it should be understood, is everything. Easter, and what it represents, is everything in the Christian life and it’s the very focal point of human history. Let’s look at two texts of scripture to make this point. More could be referenced, but two will hopefully suffice. The first text is John 20, and this is a wonderful chapter that highlights not only what Christians celebrate on Easter, but what the ultimate purpose of Easter is. 

John 20 is the resurrection story as told by the Apostle John. It’s a wonderful retelling of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and reminds the Christian that Jesus Christ died, but did not stay dead. He rose again to new life. Much could be said about Easter and the glories of the resurrected Christ from this chapter, but the relevant verses for this article are verses 30–31. It reads, “Therefore many other signs Jesus also did in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.” John 20:30—31

John’s Gospel, including the resurrection of Jesus Christ was not written for mere historical record. John wrote his Gospel and the account of Jesus’s resurrection specifically so that those who hear it or read it would believe in Christ. It’s a Gospel call to everyone. Learn about Christ, His life, ministry, death, and resurrection and believe in Him, so that you can be saved. On Easter we celebrate the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, but we celebrate it, and remember it, because it is a message that is meant to bring others to saving faith. 

The second text to highlight is 1 Corinthians 15, and this is important because it takes Easter beyond important and teaches us that Easter is the most important, that Easter is everything. 1 Corinthians 15 is the resurrection chapter. It’s the longest most complete discourse on the resurrection in scripture and it makes the case plainly that the resurrection of Christ and what we celebrate on Easter is everything. 

Like John 20, the entire chapter of 1 Corinthians 15 is wonderful, but the passage that makes the point most clearly of the resurrections importance is 1 Corinthians 15:16–17, it reads, “For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins.” Without the resurrection, salvation is impossible, and therefore your faith is worthless. Without the resurrection, regardless of your faith in Christ or not, you will die in your sins and be separated for all eternity from the love of the Father. 

Easter is everything, because the resurrection is everything. There are many things in the Christian life that are important and vital for a God honoring and faithful life, but there is nothing more important than the resurrection and nothing more important for you to believe. John wrote his Gospel, including the resurrection, so that you would believe. Paul teaches us in 1 Corinthians 15 that it is ultimately faith in the resurrected Christ that matters for our salvation. And this point is explicitly made by Paul in his letter to the Romans. Romans 10:9 reads, “that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved…” (emphasis mine)

The resurrection is everything. All of eternity hangs on the truth of Christ’s resurrection and your eternal salvation rests on that truth, and your belief in it. Easter is everything because the resurrection is everything. The life, ministry, and death of Jesus is important, but not unless the resurrection is real. But if the resurrection is real, and Paul assures us in 1 Corinthians 15 that Jesus’ resurrection is a historical certainty, it’s fact, then Christ’s life, ministry, and death really matter. 

The resurrection means that Christ is Lord, that what he taught is true, and that the death He died on the cross was accepted by God as the once for all sacrifice for the sins of all those who place their faith in Him. Believe in Christ. Place your faith in Him as the resurrected Lord and be saved. John wrote His Gospel so that all would believe. The other Gospel writers attest to the same Christ. Paul tells us that the resurrection of Jesus is a historical fact. And so, we should understand Easter less as a day of celebration, and more as a Gospel proclamation. The free gift of salvation to all who believe in Christ is possible because Christ lives. 

Easter is everything!