| Why Resurrection Sunday? |
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I want to wish everyone a wonderful Resurrection Sunday!!! Now, I can hear some saying, "Don, why don't you just call it 'Easter' like everyone else does? Why do you always have to be different". Well, I'm not one to be different just for the sake of being different, but I do want to be accurate in what I do. Is there anything inherently wrong with the term Easter. Technically no. I understand the origins of all of it and I'm not one to pound that point either. No, I do not want to demean the power of what it is that we are celebrating, not that the simple word "easter" does that. No, I want to be very clear about what we as believers are celebrating. We aren't celebrating bunnies or colored eggs or easter baskets or any of that, though there is nothing wrong with celebrating with such things.
We celebrate the resurrection of our Lord because in the resurrection is the power of God to defeat the flesh:
Col 3:1-4 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. NIV
In the resurrection of Jesus is indeed the proof of the deity of our Lord. In the resurrection of our Lord is the new life that we enjoy in Christ and the resurrection power to say, "no", to the old lifestyle of sin. In the resurrection of Christ is the eternal hope of glory. In the resurrection of Christ is Jesus taking captivity captive leaving death no sting for the believer.
This Sunday is the celebration of all of this. So celebrate. Celebrate with all of your heart and with everything that you can stir up withing you for indeed our Redeemer lives. He's not bringing candy and presents, He is bringing and has brought salvation. In Him we have no fear of death, no fear of hell, but also no fear of that which used to hold us captive. We are free, not because of anything we have done, but because Jesus went to the cross and rose on the third day and is now seated at the right hand of the Father interceding for us day and night. In the resurrection of Jesus Christ, we find our own new life. Just as Jesus died and rose to new life, we have been offered a new creation.
2 Cor 5:17 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! NIV
So, no, I don't need candy or eggs or any of the trappings. There is nothing wrong with those things, but in the resurrection of my Lord, I have all I need for the festivity at hand. I serve a risen Savior and I will celebrate with my whole heart the great love that God has displayed for everyone who will receive it.
Happy Easter? Yes, but better than that, HAPPY RESURRECTION SUNDAY!!! HE IS RISEN!!! HE IS RISEN INDEED!!!
Celebrate with Jesus this Sunday. He is alive and He loves us!!!
Don
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