Every year, millions of Christians celebrate Easter and rejoice in the resurrection of Christ. However, beyond the familiar He is risen! chants, few truly appreciate the implications of Jesus’ resurrection.
In this article, we go beyond the familiar Easter story and examine the meaning of Jesus’ resurrection for believers today.
Let’s dive right into it. Jesus’ death and resurrection is:
Foundational for the Christian faith
Paul does not mince his words: And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith (1 Corinthians 15:14).
See, the Christian faith is anchored on the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and that is the gospel the Bible calls us to proclaim to all (1 Corinthians 15:1-8). It is an essential of the Christian faith and a key pillar on which our belief stands.
If Jesus did not die and resurrect, then there is no Christianity. And our faith is futile.
It follows then that if anyone denies resurrection, they must deny the resurrection of Jesus, too. And that means they cannot be believers, for there is no framework for atonement of sin.
It’s through the sacrificial death on the cross that our sins were paid for, and the acceptance of the price paid was evidenced when God raised Jesus from the dead.
Thats what Easter really means for believers.
Proves the authenticity of Christ and hence salvation
A few times in Jesus’ ministry, people asked him to give them a sign or do something to prove He was the Messiah He claimed to be, and He always turned them down.
The only sign Jesus agreed to give the skeptics was His death and resurrection. Just as Jonah was in the big fish for three days, Jesus said He would be in the heart of the earth for 3 days (Matthew 12:38-40).
In other words, He will be dead for three days.
Jesus did die and resurrect after three days just as He said.
Therefore, Jesus resurrection serves as definitive proof that He indeed is the Messiah.
In the course of human history, some spiritual leaders and religious gurus claimed that they would resurrect upon death.
Well, none ever has. They died and remain as dead as a doornail.
The fact that Jesus resurrected uniquely sets Him apart and validates every claim He made.
Moreover, one of the other implications of Jesus’ resurrection is that it validates the Bible and hence Christianity.
The Bible records many prophecies about the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. When Jesus died and resurrected from the dead, it proves the Bible to be true and the true Word of God.
What the resurrection means for believers? Your faith is true. You can go on your way and live confidently for God.
Assures our destiny as believers
Death is one of the biggest human fears. As terrifying as it is, if Christ tarries, death is certain. And life has a way of making us face the reality of our mortality, whether it be when we lose loved ones or encounter near-death experiences.
When you interrogate, at the core of the fear of death is usually not knowing what lies on the other side of the grave.
For a believer, though, death does not get the last word. Our destiny is secure in Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 15 resurrection account assures us of victory over death (1 Corinthians 15:50-57). That our perishable dying human bodies will be clothed in immortality when we get immortal, glorified bodies.
See, sin gives power to death (for the wages of sin is death, Romans 6:23). So, when Christ atoned for all sins on the cross, death lost its sting. In other words, death has no hold on believers who have appropriated the finished work on the cross.
This is one of the most important Christian implications of the cross.
Saint, you don’t need to fear death. Jesus as the firstfruit of resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:20-28). Just as the first fruits of a harvest guarantee that more is coming, Jesus’ resurrection guarantees that all who belong to Him will one day rise as well.
That includes you.
The Holy Spirit, the life-giving power that raised Jesus from the dead, is at work in your life to give life to your mortal body beyond the grave (Romans 8:11/ Ephesians 1:18-21).
There is hope of life beyond the grave. Yes, a resurrection hope for modern believers. We can continue enjoying the eternal life we began here on earth at an inexplicably grander scale in heaven in God’s presence.
Motivates faithful Christian living
Talking of heaven, another significance of Easter for Christians is that it motivates us to live for God.
It’s easy to get lost in the dailiness of life. The hustle and bustle of life can easily make you lose sight of the main thing –Christ.
Thus, Easter presents a great opportunity to recalibrate and keep the main thing the main thing. Preacher, make sure your Easter message for Christians does just that.
Remind the saints that the pains or the pleasantries of life are not all there is. There is a better place called heaven that God Has promised all who run their Christian races well and aim for the prize (1 Corinthians 9:24-27).
Like with any race, the Christian race has rules. So the believer who aims to win the prize must run by the rules. The rules can be summed up by the greatest commandment: to love God and love fellow man (Matthew 22:37-40).
And to love God is to keep obeying what He says (John 14:21, 23/ 2 John 1:6). To love fellow man ultimately boils down to pointing them to God.
Sometimes keeping the rules of the Christian race and keeping to the straight and narrow path can be hard. Striving against the flesh can be hard, one hell of a daily fight. Or it could be the pain and suffering of the world.
When you encounter such, let remembrance of the ultimate good that awaits you in heaven motivate you to keep keeping on.
Not just the hard times highlight the implications of Jesus’ resurrection, but heaven can equally be a good motivator for believers currently having a good time here on earth. A greater good life beyond their wildest imagination awaits in heaven.
Remember, even our best years here on earth are still filled with much pain and trouble (Psalm 90:10).
Happy saint, you have every reason to look forward to heaven. Heaven is the real deal. Live for God and strive to get there.
Fight well, finish the race successfully, keep the faith, and secure your crown (2 Timothy 4:7-8).
At the crossroads
Before the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, humanity stood on a dead-end road. God Had promised life after death, but there was no certainty of how it would unfold. When Jesus emerged from the grave as the firstfruits of those who would follow, hope became certain and promise became reality.
The empty tomb became history’s greatest crossroads. The cross not only assures destiny, but also, by affirming Jesus authenticity and validating the Christian faith, it emboldens the believer’s life and faith. Moreover, it is the best motivator for believers to keep going in the midst of life and all its issues.
These implications of Jesus’ resurrection demand a response. Will you merely celebrate it, or will you live in its reality?
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