A year goes by fast. Just last year around this time, the dedicated staff at Mars Hill Church was working hard to prepare last-minute preparations for our Easter Celebration at Qwest Field, where over 17,000 people gathered to worship Jesus’ resurrection and almost 700 people were baptized by God’s grace. It was a day to be celebrated as many people met the living Jesus for the first time. This year, our team was back at it planning for Easter Celebration 2012.
Today is the culmination of that work as we’re hoping to have over 20,000 people celebrate the risen Jesus at 41 services at our 14 churches in four states. We’re praying that the Holy Spirit draws thousands to meet Jesus for the first time.
Easter is a day set aside for us to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. For most churches, Easter is the biggest Sunday of the year, and rightfully so. The resurrection of Jesus is arguably one of the most important messages of the Christian faith. If Jesus is dead, then Christianity is dead and those who place their faith and hope in him are “to be pitied” (1 Cor. 15:19).
What is it about Jesus’ resurrection that is so important for Christians? What does Jesus’ victory over death mean for Christians?
We Are Forgiven
The resurrection and death of Jesus means that we have forgiveness of sins (1 Cor. 15:3–58). Those with faith in him can live with the great joy of knowing that all their sins—past, present, and future—have been forgiven once and for all by Jesus Christ.
Jesus’ Words Are True
The resurrection of Jesus means that his teaching was and is truth that we can trust. Jesus’ resurrection gives us confidence in his other promises that we are waiting to see fulfilled, such as his returning one day to judge sinners (John 5:25–29) and reward saints (John 14:3).
We Are Justified
The resurrection of Jesus means that we are justified (Rom. 4:25). This means that though we are sinners we are declared righteous in the sight of God through faith in Jesus Christ. It is “just as if I’d” never sinned.
We Can Change
The resurrection of Jesus means that we have power to change. The Bible often speaks of our being united with Christ by his resurrection (Rom. 6:5), being raised with Christ (Col. 2:12), and enjoying the same powerful Holy Spirit that raised Christ (1 Cor. 6:14). As the power of Jesus’ resurrection works itself out in our life, we grow in holiness, learning to live in victory over sin, until one day upon our own resurrection we will live forever, free from Satan, sin, and death.
God Is Restoring
The resurrection of Jesus means that God through Christ intends to reclaim and restore all that he made in creation and saw corrupted through the Fall. Since the earth has been reclaimed and restored by God through Jesus’ resurrection, our eternity will be spent in a world much like the one enjoyed by our first parents in Eden.
Jesus Is King
The resurrection means that Jesus is our Messiah King. God the Father promised that his Son, Jesus Christ, would be raised up from the lineage of David to rule over an everlasting kingdom (2 Sam. 7:7–16). This promise was fulfilled at the resurrection of Jesus (Rom. 1:3–4). Now that the risen Christ is installed as our Messiah King, we can rest assured that one day Jesus will return to establish his throne on the earth and rule over his kingdom, which extends to all of creation.
Jesus Will Return
The resurrection of Jesus means there is an urgent need for us to rely upon the power of the Holy Spirit in calling sinners to repent (Acts 1:8). We are assured through the resurrection of Jesus that there is a day and time that he will return to judge the world (Acts 17:30–31). Though many of us naturally may be cowards like Peter and deny Jesus, we too can have courage in telling others about Jesus because Jesus is risen and reigning over all.
Easter is a celebration. It’s a time to celebrate what God has done, is doing, and will do through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ for his creation and us. Today, we celebrate with Christians worldwide the wonderful truth of the living Jesus.
Follow the live Mars Hill Easter page to see photos and stories from throughout the day around our churches!
