In Part 1 of this series, A New Gospel, I made the observation that there are 2 parts of the life of Jesus that are most emphasized – His Birth and His Death.
Consequently, the 2 most popular celebrations of the church are Christmas and Easter.
You might not have picked it up but there is a mismatch in the above statements.
Easter is not the celebration of the death of Jesus. It’s the celebration of His resurrection.
I remember when I was young, my father used to say, Good Friday should be celebrated more than Easter as the death of Jesus holds more significance than His resurrection.
Really?
Again, I want to suggest that this conclusion may be a result of reading the Bible through hand-me-down glasses.
Sure, His death is truly significant.
But, lots of good people have died in history. So-called prophets, messiahs and other enlightened human beings.
What sets Jesus apart is His resurrection.
His resurrection is the game-changer.
Anybody could have died and their life turned into a legend that spawns a religion.
But when somebody rises up from the dead and is seen by many witnesses, you have to pay attention.
Jesus accomplished something when He died. But what He was trying to accomplish was not completed until He resurrected.
Therefore, I want to suggest that we correctly celebrate Easter as a glorious reminder of the hope that we have in a resurrected Christ who is today victorious over sin and death and is ruling over all.
But don’t take my word for it.
Read the Gospels. Listen to the message of Jesus. Hear His words. See His life. Look at the epistles through this lens.
And get ready to be inspired by a powerful vision of what the resurrected Christ means today!