What Easter Gives Us Series

3-29-04

Title: What Easter Gives Us

Text: “Declared to be the Son of God with power...by the resurrection from the dead.” (Romans 1:3-4).

Bible Reading: Romans 1:1–4, 4:24–25, and 8:11

Introduction:

Just after World War II, a Preacher by the name of William Sangster, came down with a disease that gradually paralyzed him. Eventually, even his vocal cords were paralyzed. On Easter Sunday, his last Easter on earth, his daughter came to visit. Using stiffened fingers, he scribbled this message to her: “How terrible to wake up on Easter and have no voice with which to shout, ‘He is risen!’” Then, pausing a moment, he added, “But it is even worse to have a voice and not want to shout.”

You and I should feel like shouting today, because this is Easter, and Christ has risen from the dead. But, just what does that mean to us here and now, in this twenty-first century? The answer is in the Book of Romans. It is Paul’s greatest declaration of Christian truth. Three times in Romans, the apostle Paul refers to the great results of Easter. He says that they are:

1. Easter confirmed Christ’s identity.

2. Easter cancelled sin’s penalty.

3. Because of Easter, we can celebrate eternal life.

So, you can see, Easter has a lot to give the Christian man and woman. The resurrection of Jesus is the very heart and soul of the Gospel. In simple terms, the gospel is the death, burial and resurrection of Christ. His death is very important, but where would we be without the resurrection? The resurrection was so important to the Early Church that it became their message to the world. It’s a shame that today, that in most of our churches, the resurrection message is relegated to Easter Sunday only. It shouldn’t be that way, but it is.

Our message to the world should be the same as the Early Church—Jesus is alive! And we don’t have to wait until Easter to tell others. And for the Christian, Easter should be an exciting time and a happy time. So, let’s look at what it is that Easter gives us.

First, Easter Gives Us Confirmation of Christ’s Identity (Rom.1:1–4). It proves who He is. Paul begins his letter to the Romans with a significant reference to Easter. He writes, “Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God which He promised before through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures, concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.”

This passage answers a couple of very important questions. These questions are often debated by great preachers and theologians in great universities, but the answers are simple and Paul has the answers.

The first question is, “How do we know Jesus Christ was truly human—that He was a man?” Paul answers, “We know, because He descended from the seed of David.” You can trace His linage right back to that great king of Israel. It’s right there in the genealogy given in the first chapter of Mathew. He was the descendent of a historical king, and as such, He was spoken of in Old Testament prophesy, when it said that the Messiah will set upon the throne of David. In the New Testament, Jesus is even called the Son of David.

The second question is, “How do we know He was truly divine—that He was God?” Paul answers, “The Resurrection verified it.” You see, the Resurrection did not make Him the Son of God; it simply revealed who He was. His resurrection proves that He was accurate when He said, “…“You are from beneath; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world” (John 8:23). Jesus came from heaven to earth, and He lived as a man. He came to save mankind, through His death on a cross. Along the way to the cross He walked the dusty roads of Palestine, teaching His disciples and doing many wonderful things. But the days of walking along the dusty roads in Israel are over now; He has come back from the dead in mighty power. His resurrection proves He is the Son of God.

If Jesus had lived a wonderful life and died a heroic death, and if that had been the end of Him, He might have been listed with the great and heroic, but He would have simply been one among many.

However, His uniqueness is guaranteed forever by His resurrection. The others are dead and gone, and have left behind only a memory. But Jesus lives on, and His presence is within us. He is still mighty; He has great power.