He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay.  Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. See, I have told you. Matt 28:6-7

English clergyman and writer, Benjamin Jenks (1647-1724), said, “O our God, let your grace be sufficient for us.” 

With Easter approaching, many voices will try to share what is the essence of this celebrated time. Some will consider Easter as simply another day. Others will say it’s a festive time with egg hunts, bunnies, new outfits, baskets of goodies, and/or one of the few times during the year to attend church or a family meal. Sadly, some will insist that Easter is another religious nuisance–one that comes from a pagan origin and is a myth, deception, or fairy tale.

Given the reality of these voices, I’d like to share what I believe to be the core value of Easter from a Christian perspective. It is found in God’s unmerited favor and power at work. The word for this is grace.

There is no other source that states this profound distinction of grace as precisely as it does in 2 Corinthians 5:21: “For our sake, God made Christ to be sin for us, who knew no sin; so that in and through Him we might become the righteousness of God.” By God’s grace, Jesus Christ came to deliver us from our sinful condition.  By dying on the cross, He fulfilled His divine purpose on earth. In resurrecting from the dead, He not only overcame our sin, but prevented our death or eternal spiritual separation from Him as well.  His grace is the absolute difference and our profound solution.

We openly rejoice that Jesus is no longer on the cross, and no longer in a tomb.  He is risen, He is alive, and He is the Spiritual hope we have to endure life’s daunting challenges, this side of Heaven.  It is a matter of honoring what God has done for us and appreciating what He’s done within us. We, therefore, celebrate Easter by recognizing His amazing grace!

Acts 4:33; Acts 4:33; Luke 24:6-7; Matt 27:65-66; John 11:25-26; Rom 6:8-11