For the last fifteen years or so (as overall church attendance drops precipitously, down to about 30%) the number of American’s celebrating Easter has held close to 80%.
The data I would like to see pulled out of that number is what those people are actually “celebrating.” I’m a tad bit cynical by nature, but I would say the percentage of people who are worshipping, thanking, and indeed celebrating the Lord Jesus Christ for conquering the power of death is quite low. Maybe 5%.
Because we live in the West, where all of us have at least been exposed to Jesus and know the “facts” about him: his virgin birth, his message, his sinless life, his crucifixion…his resurrection, I believe that most of us go through the lip service, the rote exercise of “celebrating” Easter. And then it’s on to the family dinners, March Madness basketball, golf, and so forth.
Consider this: How many of us have taken the time to ponder the big “what if?” What if Jesus stayed in the tomb? What if there was no resurrection?
The apostle Paul declared:
…And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied. (1 Corinthians 15:17-19)
In the limited space I have left, let me try to break this down for you.
To begin with, if Christ was not raised from the dead, then everything he said was a lie. Not only about his own death and resurrection (for he proclaimed that it would happen), but everything. Everything that he said about who he was, where he came from, who his father was, what he would do…all lies. We would not believe any of his proclamations and promises...
…That he is the resurrection and the life:
I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die. (John 11:25)
…That he is the good shepherd:
I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. (John 10:14,15)
…That he will give us peace in the midst of storms:
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. (John 14:27)
…That he will provide for us:
Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. (Matthew 6:31-33)
…That he is the way, the truth and the life:
I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6)
All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. (Matthew 28:18. See also Luke 10:22.)
I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. (John 10:9)
Those are staggering promises and proclamations.
If Jesus didn’t rise from the dead then they are meaningless. Because he would be a deceiver and not who he claimed to be.
Secondly, if there was no resurrection, then the Bible is nothing but a lie. And if the Bible is a lie, then there is no God. Where do our morals come from? Where do we get our concepts of right and wrong? You might say, well, I know right and wrong. Do you? What is right? What is wrong? If there is no God, then how do we know what is good or evil? If there is no resurrection then there is nothing but chaos. No moral code. We should just do whatever we want to do (as many people do).
Finally, If Jesus is not alive today then there is no hope.
There is no hope for reconciliation with God because Jesus paid our sin penalty.
There is no hope of vindication for evil.
There is no hope that you will see your loved ones again after this world.
We are doomed, and as Paul stated, “to be pitied.”
I have been in hospitals and around hopeless people who are experiencing the pain of death and separation from those they love. No hope is a horrible thing.
But take heart! Because the resurrection is real. It did happen. And if it is real then everything else I have just laid out for you is real. The promises of Jesus. The word of God. The power of the Good News! We have hope!
Listen to how the Apostle Paul ends his epic statement in 1st Corinthians:
If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. So it is written: “The first man Adam became a living being; the last Adam, a life-giving spirit. The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual. The first man was of the dust of the earth; the second man is of heaven. As was the earthly man, so are those who are of the earth; and as is the heavenly man, so also are those who are of heaven. And just as we have borne the image of the earthly man, so shall we bear the image of the heavenly man…For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”
“Where, O death, is your victory?
Where, O death, is your sting?”
The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 15:44-56)
Because Jesus rose from the dead as he said he would then everything is available to you! You can have your sin forgiven. You can have new life. You can have eternal joy.
And maybe the next time Easter comes around you can truly celebrate.