The Christ Makes All The Difference Series

What Difference Does Easter Make?

“Why the CHRIST Makes All The Difference”

2 Corinthians 5:21

Does one person really make all that much difference?

When I was in the fourth grade I had a SS teacher who wasn’t like any of the SS teachers I had before. Bruce challenged us with one thing: memorize the bible verses for the quarter and he’d make us an award—things like trophies, a plaque, a pencil holder. Each one was engraved or etched or burned with our names on them, the quarter and year and what it was for. I have at least four of those awards. Bruce also had overnighters at his house. He’d take the 4-6 graders camping or canoeing—things he enjoyed doing too. I have never forgotten my SS teacher Bruce Gramling.

Did you have someone in your life who made a big difference? Someone who not only taught you in class but outside of class too? Someone who made unexplainable sacrifices for you. Someone who lived what they believed. Did you have someone whose life helped you to make more sense of your own? And because they invested in you, your life is changed for the better. Who would it be?

I hope you can name more than just one. For myself there are several I can think of. There are several moments in my own history where one person made a big difference in my life. There are many moments in history where because of one person it made all the difference too.

Try to image these events in American history with one missing person:

• Try to imagine the Civil War without Abe Lincoln or General Grant.

• Try to imagine WW II without Douglas McArthur or Winston Churchill, Eisenhower or Patton.

• Try to imagine the civil rights movement without Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. or Rosa Parks.

• Try to imagine the Super Bowl WITHOUT Payton Manning or Tony Dungy!

• Try to imagine your life without just one of your significant relationships: spouse, a mother, father, sister, brother, a cousin, adopted or foster parent, school teacher, coach or pastor, Sunday school teacher, camp counselor, tutor or a troop leader…if just one of those people were missing in your life it’d be changed. Why? They were in your life or came into your life at such a time that made all the difference to you!

In many areas of our lives, one person makes all the difference.

• It makes all the difference to have two parents instead of just one. A mom or a dad missing in the child’s life makes all the difference.

• It makes all the difference to have 11 players on the field to play football for a game versus only 10. One missing player to run in plays or run a pass pattern on the field or to block a defender at a certain time makes all the difference.

• It makes all the difference to have the total number of guards needed at a prison. The ratio for control is very important and one missing guard makes for a hole in security.

• It makes all the difference to have all of your kids with you when you leave WalMart.

• It makes all the difference to have church be about one person. If that person is missing or isn’t the center or if he doesn’t show up, it makes all the difference! Now I’m not talking about the pastor. Pastors come and go, but Jesus Christ must remain.

ONE PERSON MAKES A DIFFERENCE. It is true to life! And it was just as true that first Easter. Jesus was one incredible person! There was NEVER anyone like him nor will there ever be anyone like him.

Jesus makes all the difference in many ways. I want to speak about how Jesus makes all the difference to Easter in just three of those ways. Perhaps you already know how. Then let this be review for you.

2nd Corinthians 5:21 states, “For God caused Christ, who knew nothing of sin, to be sin for our sake...”

This is a great verse in Paul’s writing for several reasons. Its place in this passage is significant because all that comes before and all that comes after seems to hinge upon this one thought.

It is great also because of who it is referring to. And great because it explains the mind of God to us and shares his purpose to us.

When it states that Jesus didn’t KNOW sin, Paul speaks to Jesus’ personal acquaintance or experience with sin. Paul wants to express that Jesus had no sin which he gained by personal participation in sin.

Christ was fully aware of the reality of sin and observed sin in others, but he himself NEVER had personal involvement in sin. Neither outwardly in act nor inwardly in attitude did Christ sin, and at no time was his conscience stained by sin. This is the only place in Paul’s writing where he is so explicit in his affirmation of Christ’s sinlessness.