Why Easter Matters
April 23, 2025
In an age of increasing skepticism and secular pressure, the resurrection of Jesus Christ remains the foundational truth of Christianity. Far from being a mere religious tradition or cultural celebration, Easter represents the pivotal moment in human history that offers hope, purpose, and transformation.
The Biblical Foundation
Scripture provides both prophecy and fulfillment of Christ’s death and resurrection.
Ancient Prophecies
– Isaiah foresaw one who would be “wounded for our transgressions” (Isa. 53:5).
– Psalm 22 described crucifixion details centuries before this method existed.
– Daniel predicted the Messiah would be “cut off, but not for himself” (Dan. 9:26).
Divine Purpose
The resurrection served multiple divine purposes.
– It validates Jesus’s claims of deity.
– It proves that God accepted Christ’s sacrifice for sin.
– It demonstrates victory over death.
– It guarantees believers’ future resurrection.
– It provides power for Christian living.
Historical Reality
The resurrection stands as a historical event supported by:
– Multiple eyewitness accounts (several women; all of the Apostles; Saul of Tarsus; and more than 500 members of the Church).
– The empty tomb evidence.
– The evidence of the transformed eleven disciples.
– The explosive growth of the Early church despite persecution.
– The non-Christian historical sources.
– The rchaeological confirmations.
Contemporary Challenges
Today’s Christians face numerous challenges to resurrection faith. One wonders, if the resurrection of Christ isn’t real and true, why would any challenge exist?
Intellectual Challenges
– There is academic bias against supernatural claims.
– There is a materialistic worldview denying possibility of miracles.
– There are attempts to explain away historical evidence.
– And religious pluralism opposes exclusive truth claims.
Cultural Pressure
– There is increasing secularization.
– There is media skepticism and mockery.
– There is marginalization of Christian perspectives.
– There is pressure to privatize faith.
Why It Matters
The resurrection’s significance extends far beyond religious observance.
There is the Personal Impact.
– The resurrection provides ultimate meaning and purpose.
– The resurrection offers the solution to human sin.
– The resurrection guarantees eternal life.
– The resurrection empowers transformed living.
– The resurrection assures divine guidance.
There are Universal Implications.
– The resurrection establishes ultimate justice.
– The resurrection gives history direction.
– The resurrection promises a final resolution.
– The resurrection validates biblical truth claims.
– The resurrection offers hope beyond death.
There is Our Response.
Christians can respond to challenges through:
– Intellectual engagement with evidence;
– Cultural dialogue maintaining truth;
– Personal testimony of transformed lives;
– Scientific dialogue showing compatibility;
– Practical demonstration of faith’s impact.
Conclusion
The resurrection matters because if Christ rose from the dead, everything changes. Easter is not just about a historical event but about present reality and future hope. The resurrection offers what nothing else can: victory over death, forgiveness of sin, purpose in life, and hope for eternity.
Apostle Paul claims “if Christ has not been raised . . .” 1 Cor. 15:14 & 17), there are eight critical points to consider . . .
- Preaching is useless (v. 14).
- Faith is useless.
- Christians are false witnesses about God (v. 15).
- It would mean no resurrection at all (v. 16).
- Your faith is futile (v. 17).
- You are still in your sins.
- Those who have died are lost (v. 18).
- If hope in Christ is only for this world, we are the most pitiable people (v. 19).
Then with resounding confidence Paul proclaims, “But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep” (1 Cor. 15:20 NIV).
And because Jesus is resurrected and lives, we have confidence that every promise He made is trustworthy, every claim He made is true, and every hope He offered is certain. Life has eternal significance, not just temporal. Death is not the end of our existence. Our lives have divine purpose.
The resurrection isn’t just ancient history or religious tradition – it’s the difference between:
– Hope and despair
– Purpose and meaninglessness
– Life and death
– Freedom and bondage to sin
– Truth and uncertainty
In today’s challenging times, this message of hope, transformation, and ultimate purpose remains as relevant and powerful as ever.