Why Is Easter So Important?

Turn your Bibles to 1 Corinthians chapter 15. 1 Corinthians chapter 15 and verses 12-19. 1 Corinthians chapter 15 12-19. You know, Easter Sunday is kind of like our Super Bowl Sunday. It is the the big day. This is the day where we have our best opportunity reach out to our community. Uh actually even better than Christmas time is Easter for reaching the community. And this is our opportunity really to present Jesus Christ and to worship him. And so I want to challenge you as we prepare this week for Easter Sunday that you'd consider a couple of things that why this is important. In 1 Corinthians chapter 15 and beginning with verse number 12, it says, "Now if Christ be preached that that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?

But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen? And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain? Your faith is also vain. Yay. And we are found false witnesses of God, because we have testified of God, that he raised up Christ, whom he raised up not. So if it be the dead rise not, for if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised. And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain, you are yet in your sins. Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. What makes Christianity unique among all religions is the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Our savior is alive today and we believe in the death, the burial and the resurrection. That's why we celebrate Easter because of the resurrection. 1 Corinthians chapter 15 verses 1-4 it says, "Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which means good news which I preached unto you which also you've received and wherein you stand by which also you're saved. If you keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless you have believed in vain. For I deliver unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures. And that he was buried and they rose again the third day according to the scriptures.

That's what the gospel is. The death, the burial, the resurrection of Jesus Christ. A savior that has conquered death and gives you and I the opportunity, the ability to have eternal life through him as well. that we can also conquer death. We believe in the resurrection of Christ. We believe in the power of God. Turn over to put a marker in 1 Corinthians 15, but go over to Ephesians chapter 1. Ephesians chapter 1 and ver verses 18- 20. Ephesians chapter 1 and:es 18- 20. In Ephesians 1:18, it says, "The eyes of your understanding being enlightened that you may know is the hope of his calling and that the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints and was exceeding greatness of his power to usward who believe according to the working of his mighty power which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places."

You see, that power of God that raised Jesus Christ from the dead is the same power that you and I have today. But we've got to have that power in our lives. We've got to find that power of God to work in our lives. In 1 Corinthians 15 again and verses 55- 57, the Bible says, "Oh death, where is thy sting? Oh grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin and the the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord. For as much as you know that your labor is not in vain, the Lord.

It's because of that victory over death. It's because of that power of Jesus Christ in the resurrection that you and I can also have the power of God working in our lives. That power over death. You know, the Bible tells us in Ephesians chapter 2 and verse one, "And you hath he quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins." This is what last week I was uh working in my backyard trying to trim out a bunch of these, you know, these koa trees. You know this what I'm talking about, those weed trees. Uh they're just a mess. They make a mess everywhere and I was trying to trim them up and get them out of there.

And my wife for Christmas brought me this little baby chainsaw. It's about this big. I was going to bring it and show it to you. It was really neat. When I first opened the present, I thought, "What is that going to do?" You know, it's not like you need a big heavy duty chainsaw, but she got me this little baby one. And uh that boy, that thing works really well. And so I thought, I'm going to take that up there and I'm going to use it to cut down all those trees. I got up there and I flipped the safety switch and I pushed the button, it went the because the battery was dead. There was no power.

And a lot of us as Christians, we don't realize that we have access to the very power of God. And I had to take that back and recharge that battery and and get that power going again. And that's the power of the resurrection. Without Jesus Christ, we're dead and there's no power. But in Jesus Christ, we can have power that makes us alive. In 1 John 5 and verse number 12, it says, "He that hath the son hath life, and he that hath not the son of God hath not life." It's in Jesus Christ is through his death that we can have life. It's through his burial, his resurrection that we can have eternal life.

And it's through him that we can have a life. It's only by the power of God. It's not by my own power. It's not by your power, but by the power of God working in our lives. And and we need to learn how to use that power. In Philippians chapter 3 and:es 9 and 10, it says, "And be found in him, not having my own righteousness which is of the law, but that which is the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith, that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of sufferings be made conformable unto death." Now, in verse number nine, Paul clearly states that he's saved by faith.

Listen again what it says. and be found in him, not having mine own righteousness which is of the law, but that which is the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith. In Titus 3:5, the Bible says, "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy, he has saved us." We're not saved by doing all of the right things. You're not saved by going to church or getting baptized or or giving money in the offering basket or trying to be a good person because it's not by works of righteousness which we have done but it's by the righteousness of Jesus Christ. The Bible tells us in 2 Corinthians 5:1 17 that Godath made him Christ who knew no sin to become sin for us that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

You see, Jesus Christ was perfect and when he died on the cross, he did not die for his own sins. The Bible says that the wages of sin is death. But the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. And when he died on that cross, he had no sins to die for. So he died to pay for my sins. He died to pay for your sins and to give us his righteousness. And we become righteousness in Jesus Christ. We have his righteousness. And and and so Paul was saved through the righteousness which is in God by faith. He had trusted in Jesus Christ and by faith and through that he became saved in Ephesians 2:8:9.

For by grace are you saved through faith then not of yourselves is a gift of God not of works a man should boast. But then in verse 10 this is what he says that I may know him. Now he already knows him as a savior. He already knows he's going to heaven. 1 John 5 and:e 13 says, "These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the son of God that you may know that you have eternal life." He already knows he's going to heaven because he's trusted in the righteousness of Christ. But he says, "I want to know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings being made conformable unto death."

You see, Paul understood that there's more the Christian life is not just knowing that I'm going to heaven, but it's knowing that power of God that we have access to. The power that raised Christ from the dead is the same power that can change your life. It's the same power that can give you victory. It's the same power that can help you in any situation. It's the power of God. And and we can use that power of his resurrection in our daily lives. And that's what Paul said. I I I know I'm saved, but I want to know that power of the resurrection. I want to know the power in my life every day. In Galatians chapter 2 verses 20 and 21, it says, "I am crucified with Christ.

Nevertheless, I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me. And the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the son of God who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not frustrate the grace of God. For his rightness came by law, then Christ is dead in vain. He said, "Listen, I I want that power of God. I can't live at my own power." That little chainsaw, it can do amazing things, but if there's no battery on there, it's not doing anything. And that battery has got to be charged. It's got to be on there in order for it to accomplish the work that needs to be done. And I need to understand that I can do nothing without Christ.

I have no power outside of Jesus Christ. I've got to plug into that power through salvation. I've got to use that power in the way that God intended and keep it charged and filled in my life. But the power of the Christian life comes through the power of his resurrection. The resurrection is important because it's a reminder of God's love. Turn over to Romans chapter 8. Romans chapter 8 and look at verses 31-39. Romans chapter 8 and beginning with verse number 31. The Bible says, "What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own son but live him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?

Who shall anything to the charge of God's elect? Is God that justifieth? Who is he that condemnth is Christ that died? Yay rather is risen again, who's even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or peril or sword? As is written, for thy sake we are killed all the day long. We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Christ through him that loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor heights, nor depths, nor any other creature should be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus.

Listen folks, if God so loved you that he gave his only begotten son to save you from his sin, that love does not stop with salvation. That love is there for every area of our life. No matter what you're facing, no matter what you're dealing with, when you realize that Jesus died and was buried and rose again, you realize the power of the resurrection, you begin to realize how that power can change your life in awesome ways. And we want to learn to be reminded of his love for us. That God loved us so much that he sent his son to die for us. Easter's a day to thank God for his love. In 2 Corinthians 9:15, it says, "Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift."

Folks, I said that Easter Sunday is like our Super Bowl Sunday, you know, and you ever watch the Super Bowl, there's a lot of super fans. In fact, there's a lot of fanatics, folks. Don't just be a fan of Jesus Christ. Be a fanatic of Christ. You see, we need to realize that that he is the power of God, that he is the son of God, that he died for us. And and we ought to realize that we ought to take time to thank God, not just at Easter, but every day, that he loved me and sent his son to die for me, that he resurrected from the dead, that he gives me the power in my Christian life. We ought to thank God for that and don't neglect it.

In Hebrews chapter 2 and verse number three, how shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation, which is the verse began to be spoken by the Lord and was confirmed unto us them by them that heard him. Don't neglect that great salvation. Take time to remember his sacrifice. As we come into this Easter season, remember that he died, was buried, and rose again for you. That he loved you with all of his heart. And that that resurrection power is available to you on a daily basis. And no matter what you're going through, no matter what trials you're facing, no matter what problems you have, that that the love of God is there for you.

Whatever you're facing, you see, Easter Sunday is an important Sunday because it's the resurrection of Christ. It's a celebration of his resurrection. It's also an important day because it's a holiday. Go over to the book of Acts, chapter 17. Acts, chapter 17. Easter is a confusing holiday because you never know exactly when it's going to be. You have to either be a great mathematician and a scientist or you have to know how to look it up on Google. Because the the definition of Easter is this. Easter is the first Sunday after the full moon which happens upon or next after the 21st day of March.

And if the full moon happens upon a Sunday, Easter day is the Sunday after. You got that? I don't know about you, but there's just too much math in there and too much science in there for me to figure it out. I just get on the internet and say, "When is Easter this year?" It is a confusing holiday because the reality is Easter is not celebrated on the day that Jesus actually rose from the dead. It it's it's just a date that's kind of picked out for whatever reason. I don't know how they came up with this criteria, but they we celebrate Easter is not even the day that Jesus rose from the dead, but it's a good thing to celebrate because it's a it's a special day.

It's a holiday. in Acts chapter 17. And some people struggle with celebrating um Easter and they say, "Well, you know, it's it it's not really the day he rose." And and and people celebrate with things like Easter bunnies and Easter eggs and all the rest of it. See, it's not about celebrating the birth or the resurrection of Jesus like we do at Christmas. His birth as glorious as it was is nothing without his death. We celebrate Christmas and Christmas day is not the day he was born but we celebrate the birth of Christ. But the birth of Christ without the resurrection of Christ does not save us.

It's his resurrection. In Matthew 1:21 it says that she shall bring forth a son and thou shalt call his name Jesus for he shall save his people from their sins. It's not just about the messages of love and mercy and grace that he preached, even ones like the sermon on the mount. It It's not about all the good things that he did when he was here in the earth. In Luke chapter 7, we're going to come back to Acts 17 in just a moment, but Luke 7:22, it says, "Then Jesus answering said unto them," go your way and tell John what things we have seen and heard, how the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor, and to the poor the gospel preached.

All those were tremendous things. They were fabulous and wonderful things. But it's not about what he did on earth. The resurrection is so much more. uh and Jesus in John chapter 20, John said this in verse 30 and 31 and many other signs truly to Jesus in the presence of his disciples which are not written in this book but these are written that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ the son of God and that believing you might have life through his name it's all about the resurrection it's all about the resurrection without the death the bearer resurrection there is no Christianity We are of all me most miserable because we have nothing to believe in without his resurrection.

You see Easter to the world is a holiday and not a holy day. Do you realize the word holiday comes from originally it was meant holy day. A holiday was a holy day. The word holy means to be set apart. Holy days are days that were set apart to celebrate something or to recognize someone or to for some specific person purpose or other. They were often based upon religious reasons. And the truth is, let's let's be honest, for the world, Easter is more about Easter bunnies and eggs than it is about Jesus. But it's also an opportunity. Look now at Acts chapter 17, if you would with me. Acts chapter 17 and beginning with verse number 22.

Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars Hill. Now if you'll remember from probably about seventh or eighth grade is when you studied Greek mythology in history. And you remember Mars Hill was a was a hill where there were many many temples to different gods that were built there. Gods that probably some of familiar with even now Zeus and all the rest of them. And and Paul here, he's going on a tour of Mars Hills. And as he's going on that tour, it says there in verse 22, "Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars Hill and said, "You men of Athens, I perceived in all things you are too superstitious. You're you're too religious.

You got too many different gods. For as I passed by and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, to the unknown God, whom therefore you ignorant worship him, declare I unto you. See, they they were so afraid of missing one of the gods that they made this altar just for the unknown. In case we missed you, we're going to build an altar to you so you won't get mad at us. And and Paul saw that in scripture. He said, ' Let me tell you about that unknown God. Verse 23. Um verse 24, God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is the Lord of heaven and earth dwelleth not in temples made with hands.

Neither is worship with men's hands, as though is he needed anything, seeing he giveth all life and breath in all things. Let me tell you about the true God. Now, Mars Hill had nothing to do with Christianity. It was a place of paganism and heathenism. It was a place of of of wickedness and and immorality. They would sacrifice people there. There was priests that were made into prostitutes. This was all going on in Mars Hill. Had very little anything to do with Christianity. this altar that wasn't made to the true God. It was just to make sure we don't miss anybody. But yet Paul was able to take something that was pagan and heathen and take it as an opportunity to preach Jesus and tell them about the God who loved him and died for them.

And sometimes in this world, we have to see opportunity. Opportunity to take what the world celebrates as Easter bunnies and eggs and tell them about the true story of Easter, the resurrection of Christ, and to reach that world with the gospel and the power of the gospel. And that's why we do things like the hunt. It's not because we believe in Easter eggs, but we see it as an opportunity to reach out to others around us. See, our job as Christians is to not just celebrate holidays, but to celebrate holy days. In Colossians 2:16, the Bible says, "Let no man therefore judge you in meat or in drink or respect of a holy day or of a new moon or of Sabbath days."

In other words, every Christian needs to celebrate the holidays as they see fit before God. Some Christians are more comfortable than others. Some of you as Christians, you don't do egg hunts in your home, and that's great. And some of you do. Maybe some of you, instead of doing egg hunts, you hide candy bars out in the yard or or maybe you hide stuffed animals around or something else like that. I I I think it's good, by the way, when you take something away from your children, give them a replacement. If you're going to take something bad, give them something good. A and so how you celebrate Easter or how you celebrate Christmas, that's a decision you have to make.

It's not a decision I can tell you what to do. If you ask me, I'll tell you what we did or what we do. But you got to make that choice. In Ephesians 5:10, proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. Every one of us has to decide what do we feel is the right thing for us to do when we face holidays like Easter or Christmas or Halloween or whatever else it might be. Because what we need to do is every day for a Christian should not just be a holiday. See, a holiday is a day free from labor. I don't have to go to work today. That's what a holiday is. Most people when they celebrate holidays, they don't celebrate what the day is all about.

It's a day to go to the beach. It's a day to work in the yard. It's a day to sleep in. The Bible tells us in 1 Corinthians chapter 15 and verse 58, "Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, for as much as you know your labor is not in vain the Lord." And it's just nice to have a day when you don't have to labor, right? It's a day off. And that's what most holidays really are. Most people on President's Day don't think about the presidents. You just don't on many of the holidays we just don't celebrate what the holiday is about. On Dr. Martin Luther King Day, most people don't think about Dr.

Martin Luther King and what he stands for. They just say, "Hey, I get to go out today and have a picnic." So for Christians, it not ought not just be a holiday. Every day ought to be a holy day, a day set apart the Lord. 1 Peter 1:15-16. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord. For as much as you know that your labor is not in vain the Lord, how you regard the day. Romans 14:5 and 6, one man esteemth one day above another, another esteemth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded his own mind. He that regardeth the day regarding to the Lord, he that regardeth not the day to the Lord he does not regard it.

He that eateth eateth to the Lord, and for he for he giveth God thanks. and he eth not to the Lord eth not and giveth God thanks. See, our holidays ought to be days that we say, "This is a day that the Lord hath made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it." Whether it's Easter or Christmas or whether it's just on a Monday, it's a day to rejoice in God for us as Christians. And don't judge other people for how they celebrate that day. Romans 14:4, "Who art thou that judges another man's servant? To his own master he standeth or fallth? Yay, he shall be holding up for God is able to make him stand. I'm afraid sometimes we as Christians sometimes are more concerned whether people believe in the Easter Bunny or Santa Claus then rather than that they believe in Jesus Christ.

Listen, I'd rather my neighbor I don't care whether they believe in the Easter Bunny or Santa Claus. I I want them to believe in Jesus. And that's where our focus needs to be. This Easter is one of our greatest opportunities. Look at Romans chapter 1. Romans chapter 1, begin with verse number 16. For I'm not ashamed of the gospel of Christ. For is the power of God unto salvation everyone that believeth to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith. It is written, the just shall live by faith. For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who owe the truth and righteousness.

Because that which may be known of God is manifest them. For God has showed it unto them. For the invisible things of creation of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even as eternal power and godhead. So without excuse because that when they knew God, they glorified him not as God. Neither were thankful became vain in their imagination. Their foolish heart was darkened. You know, you look out the world and they take a holy day like Christmas, the birth of Jesus Christ, and they commercialize it and they sanitize it. They take the truth of the birth of the Savior and turn it into something else.

Same thing happens at Easter. They take the truth of the gospel, the resurrection, and turn it into bunnies and Easter eggs. See, the world's going to do that. But what's more important is how do I what am I going to do? As I said earlier, 67% of people surveyed that they would go to church on Easter invited by a family member or friend. So, what do we need to do with Easter? We need to pray. You need to pray for your neighbors, your co-workers, your family, your friends. In Acts 17:16, now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred in him when he saw the city holy given to idolatry.

When you look at how the world celebrates Easter, it ought to make you pray and say, "Lord, they need Jesus." There's a little song the kids sing sometimes. Lord, lay some soul upon my heart and love that soul through me. and may I humbly do my part to win that soul for thee. Do you have a heart to pray for the lost? And 1 Corinth Romans chapter nine, Paul said he had this burden for his own people. He said, "I would that they would come to know Jesus." Do you have that heart? Do you have that burden? Do you have the passion, the heart to pray for the lost like Jesus did? Do you have the passion inspired John Knox to plead, "Give me Scotland or I die."

Is your attitude like that of George Whitfield who prayed, "Oh Lord, give me souls or take my soul?" Are you praying for people to get saved this Easter? Are you praying for open doors? In Acts chapter 16, they they they prayed that God would open the door for the gospel. And folks, I want to I want you to pray that God will open up doors with people that they might get saved. Ask God to direct you in your life and bring you to people. My wife and I went over to we went to Sam's to get some stuff for the meal today that we're serving for the new folks in the church. And we'll tell you more about that later.

But uh on the way there uh we stopped at Kane's u restaurant for the chicken. I I love that. And we don't have one over in our area. So whenever we go to Sam's, that's my stopping place. And we went in there, we got our food, and we came and sat outside because it was noisy and cold inside. in while we're sitting outside two tables down there was a family with two young children and then one table down there was another family a mom with four children and so as that family with the two young children they finished before us and as they got up to leave I just turned to them I said hey can I give you this and I always give it to the parent not to the children and I said can I give you this and we're having a an egg hunt on Saturday and we'd love for you to bring your children and the guy looked and said yeah that's great after that uh when we were finished eating.

The mom with the other kids was still there and I walked over their table and gave it to the mom and said, "Hey, you can bring your kids to this egg hunt." And she says, "Thank you." The kids said, "Can we go home?" We went inside. There was no trash can outside. So, we went inside and put the trash inside. And as I was coming out the door, another couple walked in with a a little toddler baby, probably about just about a year old or so. And and I I saw them and she was smiling at me. Babies love me. and she was smiled at me and making those Google eyes and stuff and I was making Google eyes back at her and of course the parents were all proud and everything of their little baby and I said, "Hey, uh, why don't you bring her for her first Easter egg hunt?"

I got three people I've invited right there in one day, one meal. Well, what about you? You see, the Lord has given us an opportunity to get people out that we may never have that opportunity with. Ask God to direct your way. Make it in Acts chapter 16 when the when the doors were opening. If you read the study, Acts 16, Acts, the book of Acts was written by Luke. And up to that point, Luke would say, "They did this and they did that." And then after that door opened for this new opportunity to bring the gospel into Macedonia. He he changed his word. He said, "Now we immediately went." Folks, this can't be a they thing.

It's got to be a we thing. If we're going to pass out all these flyers and if we're going to get people to come, it's going to be everybody being involved in taking that opportunity. In Mark 16:15, he said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature." In Luke 14:23, "And the Lord said on the servant, go out of the highways and hedges and compel them to come in that my house may be filled." In 2 Corinthians 5:11 says, "Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men, but we made manifest unto God, and I trust also made manifest in your conscience." The world is at least right now thinking about Easter.

And most people know it has something to do with Jesus. They just don't understand it. But you do, and I do. And this is our opportunity to pass out invitations to the egg hunt and to the service here on Sunday to invite family and friend and co-workers to pray for people and to see what God's going to do. And so I hope you're excited. And one of the most important things I want you to remember as we get ready for Easter for us is don't get so busy even with inviting other folks out. Don't get so busy you forget to thank God for his unspeakable gift. Because Easter is also about worshiping him and honoring him for his sacrifice for us.