Easter Sunday. Easter Life.

Pastel attire, stuffed bunnies, and chocolate eggs. Most of us probably experienced all of the above earlier this week on Easter Sunday. I’m not quite sure of the history behind the trends and traditions, but something about Easter brings out the best of seersucker suits and Easter basket goodies. And this abundance of sweets and specialities expands to our churches. Think about your church service on Sunday. Were more people in attendance than usual? Did you see anyone who you hadn’t seen since Christmas? Did it seem like a special service perhaps with a few extra “bells and whistles”? 

Now don’t get me wrong. Easter Sunday is a big deal. It deserves all the pastels, all the overflowing Easter baskets, all the Reese’s peanut butter eggs. We celebrate the resurrection of our King, Jesus Christ. And that my friend, is worth celebrating big.

But I want us to consider the significance of Easter, of Resurrection Sunday, for our everyday lives. Why does Easter matter? And what does Easter mean? If someone asked you questions similar to those, how would you answer them? Would you be able to answer them? 

We can all probably affirm that Easter isn’t about bunnies, baskets, and pastels. Easter is about the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. So what did Easter mean at the time of Christ? What does it mean for us today? And why does it matter for our future? 

Christ conquered death in the past.

Jesus wasn’t the only person who died on a cross. Two thieves were hung on a cross in the presence of the crucifixion of Christ. And while crucifixion was a normative means of execution, only one person crucified conquered death—Jesus Christ. 

What is the gospel? What is the good news? If we’re honest, many of us might simply say the gospel is the good news that Jesus Christ died for sinners. And sister, that is incomplete. That is not the gospel. A gospel proclamation without the resurrection is not the glorious gospel. The gospel declares that God saves sinners through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The person and work of Christ—both who Christ is and what he did—includes both his death and his resurrection. The good news of the gospel must include the resurrection, or it’s not really good news after all.

“The Gospel is that Jesus Christ came to earth, lived the life we should have lived and died the death we should have died.” - Tim Keller

The apostle Paul gives a record of the resurrection in 1 Corinthians 15. Paul writes, “For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). And then Paul proclaims that Jesus not only appeared to the twelve disciples but to over 500 people (1 Corinthians 15:5-6). The resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead was witnessed and thus is to be believed. 

Each of the gospel accounts affirm the resurrection of Christ (Matthew 28, Mark 16, Luke 24, John 20). The tomb was empty, and Jesus Christ was alive. Jesus both predicted his resurrection and proved his deity in his resurrection. 

The death and resurrection of Christ accomplished our salvation. Think of the resurrection as the “mic drop.” When Christ was raised from the dead, he dropped the mic and conquered death. In his letter to the church at Colossae, Paul writes of what the death and resurrection accomplished, “...canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him” (Colossians 2:14-15). Christ covered our penalty and conquered all death. We look back to the resurrection of Jesus Christ with deep humility, abundant gratitude, and steadfast belief.

Christ compels hope in the present.

Let’s be more than pastel people. Let’s be resurrection people. For all of the Easter baskets and Easter attire, the Scriptures call us to be resurrection people. Yes, we celebrated Easter earlier this week. But the resurrection must be remembered and lived in light of every single day. 

Consider Paul’s words later in 1 Corinthians 15, “And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied (1 Corinthians 15:17-19). If Christ was not raised from the dead, we have no shot—we have nothing. Since Christ was raised from the dead, we have absolute hope—we have everything.

This is not the end of the story. We know the end of the story. Future glory, future resurrection, and forever eternity with King Jesus await his people. The resurrected body and the resurrected life will be better than our minds can conceive (1 Corinthians 15:42). I’m thinking some really good meals, some really solid worship, some really deep joy. Oh, and I’ll have resurrected toes. Yes, you read that correctly. Years of running have ruined my toes. I tell my husband nearly every night that I can’t wait for my resurrected toes. Sister, our future resurrection is going to be the absolute best.

The resurrection of Christ compels our hope in the future. We fix our eyes on not what is seen but on the unseen (2 Corinthians 4:18). We remember that just as Christ was delivered from suffering, we too will be delivered from suffering. There’s purpose in our pain today. And there’s coming a day with no more pain. Suffering precedes glory. The suffering of Christ preceded the glory of his resurrection. And our present suffering precedes our future glory.

Christ raises us in the future.

We have resurrection hope because of Christ’s resurrection. Because resurrection waits on us, we wait on the Lord. We live with eagerness. We are one day closer to final resurrection. We are a couple of minutes closer than when you started reading this. That is exciting. Glory is coming. Resurrection is coming. We prepare for eternity, and we wait with eagerness. 

“The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.” (1 Corinthians 15:56-58)

The empty tomb is the crown of Christ. The crown of Christ compels our hope. Our hope in Christ fuels our worship of Christ.

As we consider what it means to be resurrection people, here are a handful of gospel applications:

Head:

What’s your understanding of the resurrection? Can you talk with someone about the resurrection? Read the gospel accounts of Christ’s conquering of death (Matthew 28, Mark 16, Luke 24, John 20). Think about the resurrection. Talk about the resurrection. Express gratitude to God through prayer for the resurrection.

Heart:

Where are you struggling in your life? Where do you need hope in the midst of pain or uncertainty? Perhaps this COVID season has you just beside yourself. Perhaps politics has you consumed. Ask the Spirit to refresh your hope and rest in Christ alone (Romans 15:13). 

Hands:

Wear pastels all month and have Easter baskets every Sunday. Just kidding, kind of. How can the joy of Easter Sunday overflow into your daily rhythms? Seek out accountability to help you think on the resurrection and live in light of the resurrection.

Jesus Christ conquered death and will raise us with him. Resurrection waits on us, so we wait on the Lord and walk by the Spirit.