Easter’s great for pastors: We get to talk about our risen Savior; we celebrate the day that death was defeated and when resurrection power came alive and raised Jesus from the dead! As Christians, we remind ourselves that the same resurrection power is alive in each one of us! But then, we need to bring that new life out of us so we can make an impact in this world.
We’re not here on earth to simply “exist.” Jesus told us to go into the world and preach His Gospel! That’s not always comfortable, but Jesus never promised we’d be comfortable. He said we’d have things that would come against us, but He also gave us power to overcome all of them! Now is not the time to shrink back; it’s time to move forward. It’s a time to look at the darkness and say, “You’re gone!” It’s a time to shine!
“It’s a time to look at the darkness and say, ‘You’re gone!'”
“Yes, God raised Jesus to life! And since God’s Spirit of Resurrection lives in you, He will also raise your dying body to life by the same Spirit that breathes life into you!” – ROMANS 8:11 (PASSION)
On Resurrection Sunday, everything changed! We were no longer held by sin; the enemy no longer had power over us! There’s no grave that can hold us, so let’s live like we’ve been set free.
The strongholds of the past – the things the enemy brings up to convince you that you’re not worthy – have all been defeated because Christ says “You’re worthy! You’re worthy of My death! You’re worthy of My beating and the stripes I took! You’re worthy of the crown of thorns shoved down on my head…you’re worthy of everything I am!” Jesus became everything that we were so we could become everything that He is!
The Cross is the great exchange! There are so many things Jesus did on the Cross for us, that it would take ages to point them out; I would encourage you to study the scripture to understand everything He did for you. Easter is the day that revealed to the world that death was defeated and that life won!
At the time of the resurrection, a lot of things were taking place “behind the scenes.” The followers of Jesus – the ones who knew Him best – had no idea of what had happened. The morning after their Sabbath, they headed to where Jesus had been entombed to wrap his body as was the custom for someone who was dead.
Behind the scenes, chaos was brought into order. The words “Life, be!” were spoken and with His mighty right arm, Father God reached down into the very pit of Hell and said, “Come on, Son…we’re going home!” It had been prophesied that Jesus would not see corruption of His body; it was prophesied that on the third day, He would rise from the dead!
The women who came to the tomb on that Sunday found that the stone in front of the tomb had been rolled away. Luke 25 tells us that the women were terrified by the sight and bowed their faces to the ground. Two angels – in form of men – stood before them and said, “Why are you looking among the dead for Someone Who is alive! He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead! Remember what He told you back in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be betrayed into the hands of sinful men and be crucified, and that He would rise again on the third day.” (Luke 24:5-7 NLT)
Those who believe this truth receive an experience that transcends all understanding. Christians realize that gaining eternal life is not something they’ve done, but it’s something only Jesus has done. When you release and get rid of all your self-centeredness and everything you do – all your failures and all your accomplishments – and say, “I’m going to live this life for You and for what You’ve done for me,” it will change the way you live and how you see others. It will change the way you walk.
Before He was crucified, Jesus was beaten and disfigured beyond recognition. People talk about the movie “The Passion of the Christ” and how tortured Jesus was. It was far worse than that. Isaiah 52:14 (ERV) said that, “…many were shocked when they saw Him. He was beaten so badly that He no longer looked like a man.” He was beaten and disfigured beyond recognition.
Jesus was disfigured so that we could be brought back to the image and likeness of God.
100% Innocent Proclaimed 100% Guilty
Jesus was treated as if He were 100% guilty. It’s striking that the Bible records that the Romans brought out a well-known murderer and insurrectionist, Barabbas, and stood him next to Jesus. Pontius Pilate – the Roman governor – gave the public the right to choose him or Jesus to be released (a custom by the Romans to appease the Jews at Passover). Barabbas was 100% guilty of his crimes, while Jesus was 100% falsely accused.
The crowd – affected by the sway of the religious leaders of the day – chose for Jesus to be crucified and Barabbas released. “Let His blood be upon us and upon our children,” the Gospel of Matthew reports the crowd said. Jesus had to be treated like Barabbas (100% guilty) so that Barabbas could be treated like Jesus (100% innocent). Everything that Jesus was became available to Barabbas at the Cross. The same applies to you.
Remember…it’s not about your performance; it’s about what Jesus performed. Jesus is the One Who set us free. He’s the One that has given us this life! He came as a humble servant, not as a conquering king or mighty warrior. Philippians 2:8 says it well:
“And so we have the drama of the Cross in context: the man Jesus Christ – Who is fully God – becomes fully man to the extent of willingly dying humanity’s death at the hands of His own creation. He embraced the curse and shame of the lowest kind in dying a criminal’s death.” – PHILIPPIANS 2:8 (MIRROR)
Jesus died our death on the Cross so we can live His life off of the Cross! When He proclaimed, “It is finished!” He wasn’t proclaiming an ending of a defeat. He was stating that His sacrifice was a beginning! A victory!
1. Jesus dealt with all sin, for all people, for all time, once.
2. The Cross was a 100% victory.
3. Death has been defeated.
4. Life has won and you are living in Him!
To watch the entire April 4, 2021 message on which this post is based, click here.
