For Americans the past 11 years have been a time of questions. Since 9/11 religious freedoms have become questioned, beliefs have been tested, and even more recently those freedoms have been attempted to be controlled by our government. It has been a struggle for both those who believe and those who do not. This is a time that we will remember for a lifetime, a time to reflect, listen, and learn. But most importantly, it is a time to remember. Most of us forget what Easter is truly about. It isn’t about bunnies, eggs, or chocolate. It is about the fulfillment of a promise. With Jesus’ resurrection the promise of eternal life was given to all those who believe in Him. This promise is detailed in many verses within the Bible.
John 11:25-26
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.
Philippians 3:10-12
I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.
Romans 1:4-5
And Jesus Christ our Lord was shown to be the Son of God when God powerfully raised him from the dead by means of the Holy Spirit. Through Christ, God has given us the privilege and authority to tell Gentiles everywhere what God has done for them, so that they will believe and obey him, bringing glory to his name.
1 Peter 1:3-5
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time
John 10:17-18
The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life-only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”
These verses and the many others throughout the Bible remind us of the true meaning of Easter. For me, they bring about a feeling of peace and joy. I am by far not perfect. I have struggled. I have failed. To be honest, I have failed Him too many times. But that is really the beauty of it. I don’t have to be perfect. Through the death and resurrection of Jesus, God gave us all eternal life if we just believe. God has forgiven me. Through Jesus’ sacrifice I was saved. All those who believe have been saved. This is time for praise, joy, and thankfulness. As Romans 1:4-5 describes, this is also the time to spread the Word. Share this time with your friends and family. Share it with those that might not believe. Easter is the time to open our hearts and our arms and bring those that need Him close. It is verses like these that saved my life. The real question is whose life can they save next? That is the real meaning of Easter.
References:
Holy Bible: NIV and NLT versions