Now that Easter is over....

The Easter holiday has now passed. For Christians Easter is the biggest day of the year. Christianity itself rests on Easter. If there is no resurrection, there is no Christianity. As 1 Corinthians 15:17-19 "And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied." Now that the festivities are over, now that the Easter bunny has gone back to where ever he came from (I hope he stays there), now that all the excitement is over, we all have the tendency to put the message of Easter up in the closet with all the silly decorations. Please do not make that mistake.

Most of us know the real meaning of Easter is not about waking up in the morning hunting for colored eggs and searching through a basket that some giant mutant bunny left for us. Rather we understand that Easter holiday weekend is about the crucifixion, death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. The problem is that most of us stop there. When Monday comes we forget about Easter and the meaning of it all. For Easter to mean anything we must not stop on Sunday but ask ourselves on Monday "What does it all mean?" Like I said most of us understand the meaning of Easter itself but do we understand what the implications are on our life because of the Easter message? If we do not answer that question we will not truly understand the meaning of Easter and the power it has to change our lives. So what does Jesus' crucifixion, death, burial, and resurrection mean for us as Christians? In his book Fifty Reasons Why Jesus Came to Die, John Piper tells us:

It means that God's wrath ,which you deserve, was absorbed by Jesus. Galatians 3:13 says "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by become a curse for us - for it is written 'Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree.'" John Piper writes "If God were not just, there would be no demand for his Son to suffer and die. And if God were not loving, there would be no willingness for his Son to suffer and die. But God is both just and loving. Therefore his love is willing to meet the demands of his justice."

It means the legal demands of the law against you have been canceled. Colossians 2:13-14 says "And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross."

It means your sins have been forgiven. Matthew 26:28 says "for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins."

It means your condemnation has been taken away. Romans 8:1 says "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." Romans 8:34 continues "Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us."

It means you can live with a clear conscience. Hebrews 9:14 "how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God."

It means you can have eternal life in heaven. John 3:16 "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life."

It means that you are free from the futility and destructive sins of your ancestors. 1 Peter 1:18-19 "knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot."

It means that you are now able to live for Christ instead of yourself. 2 Corinthians 5:15 "and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised."

It means you can understand the deepest meaning for marriage. Ephesians 5:25 "Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her."

It means you no longer have to fear death. Hebrews 2:14-15 "Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery."

It means you can look the worst evil in the face and understand that it is meant by God for good. Acts 4:27-28 "for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place." John Piper explains: "There is no greater sin than to hate and kill the Son of God. There was no greater suffering nor any greater innocence than the suffering and innocence of Christ. Yet God was in it all. 'It was the will of the LORD to crush him' (Isaiah 53:10). His aim, through evil and suffering, was to destroy evil and suffering."

Now that Easter is over please do not take the Easter message and put it in the closet. Instead think daily about what Jesus did for you personally, meditate on what it means, and live your lives in the power that the message affords you.