Easter is the time we remember THE most significant fact of the Christian faith. For one whole week, we think about and celebrate the death and resurrection of Jesus. Have you ever pondered why the resurrection of Jesus is considered the most important fact about the life of Jesus? We’re not talking about just coming back to life again: that is resuscitation. Coming back to life again means death is still inevitable. That was the case for Lazarus. He rose from the dead but Lazarus had to die again. Lazarus experienced resuscitation.
No, what Jesus experienced is totally different. We’re talking about resurrection: coming back from the dead to live forever—never to die again! Jesus came back from the dead to live for ever. Lazarus came back to death; Jesus came back to life! This is the most significant fact of the Christian faith. And, why is the resurrection of Jesus so important?
Well, Jesus made many claims while he was alive. For example, He said that He was God in human form; that He was the bread from heaven; that He was the water of life; He was the true shepherd; that He gives life abundantly; and that He brings salvation to humans everywhere. These are huge claims to make; and it is the resurrection that proves these claims as true. Everything that Jesus said while here on earth is true; and He rose from the dead—to eternal life—to prove it.
One of the greatest gifts Jesus ever gave us is truth! We can trust what He says. Why is that so important? Well, as we consider how to navigate life, Jesus is the one who guides us by His truth. In the world in which we live today, truth is almost absent from everything. It’s hard to believe certain politicians; it’s difficult to trust certain media outlets; we are presented with more political science than medical science and no longer know what’s true. All in all, it’s increasingly difficult to know who is telling the truth!
Jesus tells us the truth and we can trust Him—because of the resurrection. When we are confused about the issues of life, Jesus can show us how to respond. He helps us make sense of the world in which we live.
For example, when the world says that fame and fortune are the goals of life, we hear the words of Jesus who says we should “seek FIRST the Kingdom of God and His righteousness.” Doing God’s will is the first and foremost goal in life.
When the world tells us that there is “good” and “bad” and that it determines what sin is, we fall back onto the words of Jesus who helps us define sin. If we disobey God, that’s sin. It’s God who tells us what is sinful and what is not. We are not fooled by the pseudo-spirituality of the world, which has no idea what God’s will is. The world has no idea what real sin is!
Allow me one final example. The world has a definition of love—which often involves sexuality. By contrast Jesus has a completely different understanding of love. Jesus says that if you love Him, you’ll obey Him. To Jesus, true love is doing what God wants you to do. Love is equated with obedience. That’s a very different approach to what the world offers as a definition of love.
So, this Easter we’re reminded not only of the resurrection, but the implications of the resurrection. Jesus rising from the dead—to life—is proof that what He says is true. And truth is a rare commodity these days. We thank God that we can trust His words. They are the most stable, reliable, trustworthy and true words available to us. Happy Easter.
The peace of our Lord,
+Peter Klenner