WEEK FIVE: EASTER

If you Google the Christian calendar, you will see that there are many dates that are marked as significant events in the yearly cycle. Some are more familiar than others to the majority of people, but all are important, marking significant events in the Christian faith. Christmas, Lent, Palm Sunday, Good Friday, and even Pentecost Sunday (the seventh Sunday after Easter) are celebrated within certain parts and denominations of Christianity. But one stands alone as the most significant day as it relates to a life of faith. Easter (or Resurrection Sunday) stands alone as that day.

As great and important as all those other days are to us as believers, if you remove what occurred on this one single Sunday, none of those other days matter. They are just another day on the calendar. That single event—Jesus’ resurrection from the dead—set into motion God’s ultimate plan of redemption of humanity.

Sin had come into the world with Adam’s disobedience and there was nothing any person could do to fix that by themselves. Sin could only be defeated through a perfect sacrifice. Jesus arrived on what we celebrate as Christmas, lived a sinless life, went to the cross, and died, taking on our sin penalty once and for all. Many people had died on crosses at the hands of the Romans. However, what made this different is that Jesus didn’t stay in the tomb. He rose from the dead, forever defeating death and providing the promise of an eternity spent with him to anyone who will confess their need for a Savior and believe in their heart that he rose from the dead!

On this Resurrection Sunday—Easter—if you have never made a decision to follow Jesus, would you do that today? Like Barabbas, Jesus took our place. Like the thief, there is still time. Like Pilate, there is a decision to be made about Jesus. But like the centurion, will you come to the realization that Jesus truly is the Son of God, and will you accept his forgiveness for you so that you too can have a guaranteed eternity in heaven with him?