On Easter Sunday we will commemorate the glorious resurrection of our Lord and Savior. Resurrection Sunday is a time to celebrate as we realize the confident hope we have in Christ. Through His sacrificial death, and his triumphant bodily resurrection, Jesus made it possible for us to become reconciled back to God the Father.
Sunday is the highlight of our church year as we celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Milton Hollifield, Executive Director/Treasurer of the Baptist State Convention of NC pens this week’s post about Easter.
Since Adam and Eve disobeyed God and ate of the forbidden fruit, we have been in great need of God’s mercy and grace because all of humanity followed in their footsteps and walked a path of sinful pride and self-sufficiency. Our life of rebellion against God’s desire for us to live in obedience to Him plunged us into the sad predicament of separation from God.
But rejoice! God the Father, because of His loving-kindness, gave His only begotten Son to die for our sins so that we could embrace His love, turn from our sin and become followers of Him (John 3:16). In our sin we deserved death and hell but Jesus took our place on the cross, endured His own righteous judgement against our sin, and provided us with the greatest gift of all: salvation.
Through this gift, Jesus made it possible for us to experience His life and His power within us while living here and also the assurance that we will spend eternity in heaven with Him and all people who trust in Him alone for salvation. We have been miraculously transformed into new creations in Christ (II Cor. 5:17). Think about this – the same power that resurrected Jesus from the grave resides within us in the person of His Holy Spirit. That is how and why we can live in victory.
Easter is a time when many people who do not know who Jesus the Christ really is are intrigued and interested by the hope that we have. Perhaps there is someone you know who needs to hear the message of hope that can only be found in Christ. During this season, as you reflect on all that Jesus has done for you, share that good news with someone else. Invite them to turn to the one who has conquered death. Ask them to place their trust in Him, repent of their sin and commit to follow Him so they can receive eternal life.
Because He lives, we too will live eternally. For those who follow Christ, death has lost its sting and the grave has lost its victory. Celebrate Christ’s victory over death, hell and the grave!
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” – 1 Peter 1:3 (NKJV)
