EASTER - RESURRECTION SUNDAY

Today on Facebook bands like Stryper, Demon Hunter, Narnia and others have posted in celebration of Easter. What is Easter?

The Resurrection of Jesus

1. Who was Jesus?

Jesus of Nazareth was a first-century Jewish teacher. He said that he was the Son of God and the long-awaited Messiah. He said that he and the Father were one and that he held the authority to forgive sins. This claim viewed by his contemporaries as either divine truth or ultimate blasphemy.

2. The Execution: Friday

Jesus was executed through the torture of Roman crucifixion after being interrogated by both religious and political leaders. During his trial before the religious council, they asked him point-blank: "Are you then the Son of God?" (Luke 22:70). Jesus replied:

"It is as you say."

Due to this admission, they charged him with blasphemy. He was then handed over to the Roman Governor, Pontius Pilate, who asked, "Are you the king of the Jews?" Jesus again answered:

"It is as you say." — Matthew 27:11

3. The Resurrection: Sunday

According to the accounts, Jesus rose from the dead on the third day, just as he had told his followers. This event is the foundational pillar of the Christian faith, signaling a definitive victory over death and the fulfillment of his claims.

4. The Proof and the Scripture

The Gospels claim a physical, bodily resurrection where Jesus ate food and could be touched by his friends. This is famously illustrated by the disciple Thomas, who initially stated:

"Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe." — John 20:25

Upon seeing and touching the wounds of the risen Jesus, Thomas responded:

"My Lord and my God!" — John 20:28

The claim of a historical person dying and returning to life in the same body is unique to this account. The verse for the discovery of the empty tomb is found in Matthew 28:6:

"He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay."

5. The Purpose and the Promise

God took human form in the person of Jesus, the Son of God, to voluntarily sacrifice his body because only a perfect sacrifice without blemish could suffice. Since all humans are sinners, no human can save another; only a perfect sacrifice can bridge that gap. According to the scriptures, without the shedding of blood, no salvation is possible. Because the wages of sin is death, the punishment required was death: Jesus took that place because no other human could.

Jesus promised that same resurrection to those who believe in him. He also promised that he will return, not as a suffering servant when he was a voluntary sacrifice, but in a glorified, physical form as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Upon his return, he will judge the living and the dead, destroy death entirely, and establish an eternal kingdom where he will make all things new.

6. The Importance of the Resurrection

The Apostle Paul made it clear that the resurrection is not just a metaphor; it is the absolute foundation of the faith. He argued that if the resurrection did not happen, then the entire message is a lie and faith is useless. He wrote in 1 Corinthians 15:13, 14 & 17:

"If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith... And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins."