Why does Easter matter? Is it just about bunnies, eggs, baskets, egg hunts and new spring clothes? It’s sad that many people are missing the whole point. And that’s scary because the whole point of life boils down to the point of Easter, which is the resurrection of Jesus Christ. If Jesus was resurrected, then that changes everything. Let me give you four reasons why Easter (Jesus’ resurrection) is the most significant event and truth of life.
1. It is the hinge of history
The resurrection of Jesus split history wide open. We have B.C. and we have A.D. Every time you write the date, you can think about the resurrection.
2. It is the proof of Christ’s divinity
Romans 1:4 states that Jesus “was declared with power to be the Son of God by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord.” Without the resurrection, Jesus’ death was a nice act by a martyr dying for something he believed in. Many people throughout history have died for what they thought was true. But the resurrection proved that Jesus is God.
3. It is the core of Christianity
The resurrection is what makes Christianity make sense. Without it, it’s just another religion. But 1 Corinthians 15:17 says, “And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.” Apart from the resurrection, Jesus was deluded. Apart from the resurrection, Jesus would have misled many people. But the resurrection is the core of our faith. It is our faith. Without the death, burial and resurrection of Christ, there is no Christianity. Because of Jesus’ crucifixion, we are dead to sin. And because of the resurrection, we are alive to God. Our sins are forgiven; our shame and guilt are removed; we have been given freedom.
4. It is the hope of humanity
Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except by me.” His resurrection validates that statement. Jesus has declared that He, and He alone, is the hope of humanity.
So, why does Easter matter? Because everything hinges on the resurrection. As Timothy Keller stated, “If Jesus rose from the dead, then you have to accept all that he said; if he didn’t rise from the dead, then why worry about any of what he said? The issue on which everything hangs is not whether or not you like his teaching but whether or not he rose from the dead.”
By: Pastor Monty Guice