The Resurrection Isn't Just an Easter Sunday Thing
The resurrection of the Lord is vital for our daily lives as Christians
Sometimes we miss the obvious
As director of a Bible school in the Philippines, I got together with a group of teachers every Friday afternoon. We talked about the progress of the students, challenges in the classroom, and it was a time for me to mentor them.
We worked on ways to improve our teaching and mentoring of the students. At one of these meetings, I shared how important it is to have a message theme—the primary truth and focus of a message.
I had them review Peter’s message, as he spoke to the crowd gathered at the Feast of Pentecost (see Acts 2:5-16). The goal was to identify Peter’s message theme in Acts 2:22-36. At first, they had a hard time seeing the clear theme of his message.
They came up with all sorts of ideas the first time they reviewed the text. None of them saw the primary focus of Peter’s message.
Sometimes we listen or look so hard at a text that we miss the simple and obvious.
I encouraged them to look through Peter’s message again and to look for the truth repeated throughout it. I told them to look for five obvious references to this truth.
One by one, they looked up as they realized what it was. It was so clear and obvious, but seemed hidden from their understanding. Why? They were focused on what they were convinced of already.
I’ve found this to be true over and over again, both for myself and others in the process of discerning the truth in the Bible. It’s hard for us to set aside preconceived ideas and assumptions.
It’s hard to see beyond what we’ve been taught to see.
Seeing the obvious
What was the primary focus of Peter’s message? The resurrection of Jesus! Peter makes at least five explicit references to the resurrection in his message (see Acts 2:24, 25-27, 30-31, 32, 33, 36).
How the resurrection is essential
The resurrection is essential to the gospel and the biblical story of redemption throughout the Bible. When the truth of the Lord’s resurrection is overlooked, it has a major impact on both our theology and walk of faith. Here are a few of the impacts—
The central focus of the gospel message of the early church, as seen throughout Acts, is diminished if we don’t see how vital the Lord’s resurrection is (see Acts 1:21-22; 2:22-36; 4:10, 33; 10:34-43; 13:26-39; 17:22-32; 23:6).
The effective work of the Lord’s death on the cross is nullified without the Lord’s resurrection—
And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty. Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God, because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ, whom He did not raise up—if in fact the dead do not rise. For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! (1 Corinthians 15:14-17).
It’s directly connected with the reason why we have a living hope—our own resurrection and hope of eternal life—
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead (1 Peter 1:3).
The resurrection is essential to our relationship with Jesus in our everyday life—
If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory. (Colossians 3:1-4) [also see Ephesians 2:1-10; Colossians 2:11-12]
The resurrection is essential to the gospel and the biblical story of redemption throughout the Bible.
As mentioned above, the bodily resurrection of Jesus from the dead enables us to have a true, living hope and to be confident of a future in this life and beyond.
As we come once again to another celebration of Resurrection Sunday, I hope that some of what I’ve shared will help you see how vital Christ’s resurrection is to your relationship with Jesus.
Thank you for sharing this. I wrestle with this every year…the way the meaning of this day has been shifted. It was never about eggs or a bunny that didn’t lay down its life for us. It’s about something far deeper and sacred. You expressed that truth so clearly and beautifully. Truly a powerful post.
That is such a meaningful reminder.The resurrection is not just something we celebrate one day it is the very foundation of our faith and our daily hope.As shared in that message the resurrection is central to everything we believe not just a moment in history but a living truth that shapes our lives every day.The Bible makes this so clear in 1 Corinthians 15:17 If Christ has not been raised your faith is futile but because He is risen our faith is alive and powerful.And in 1 Peter 1:3 it says He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.This means the resurrection is not just about the empty tomb it is about a new life within us every single day.Romans 6:4 says just as Christ was raised from the dead we too may live a new life.So it is not only something we remember it is something we walk in daily His victory becomes our victory His life becomes our life.What happened on that resurrection morning changed everything forever and it continues to change us even now.The same power that raised Jesus is still working in us today as it says in Ephesians 1:19-20 His incomparably great power for us who believe.So this truth is not just for Easter it is for every day every moment we live in Him because He is risen and He is alive in us