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The Promise(s) of Easter
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Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives
and believes in me will never die. - John 11:25,26
And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.
- 2 Corinthians 5:15
I think Easter Sunday is one of the most joyful days of the year. It is not because it is part of the coming of spring. It is not
because we are celebrating a joyful event of the past. Rather it is because of the present and the future and the promises that Easter
makes for both.
The Risen Savior promises those who believe in Him life. This is the promise of forgiveness of all our sins. For the
wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Ro 6:23) If we deserve eternal death because of our sins,
we have eternal life only because our sins are forgiven in Jesus Christ. Easter is a celebration of our forgiveness. The promise of life is also
a promise of heaven. The Savior who died and was raised again also ascended into heaven. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so,
I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be
with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going." (John 14:2-4) Easter is the promise that we will live
with the Lord Jesus forever at His house, in glory everlasting.
The Lord’s promises to us from Easter - the forgiveness of sins and eternal life
in heaven - are the most important of all. But they are not the only promises of Easter. Easter brings forth promises from us. And he died for
all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. As the Risen Savior has given
us life, we now live that life for Him.
Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?
We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the
Father, we too may live a new life.... In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let
sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but
rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of
righteousness. (Ro 6:3-13)
As people redeemed by Jesus, we live our lives for the Lord, not in snippets - a few hours here or there - but totally. They are lives filled
with worship and praise, in God’s house and out in the world. They are lives filled with service to the Lord, in and through the church and in
and through the lives of those who are in need. They are lives filled with sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ with others. They are lives filled
with generous giving of our time, our talents and treasures to the Lord.
To live such lives is our promise of Easter. We make it because of all that Jesus, our everliving Savior, has done for us. We can make it only
because the Savior lives in us through faith. We know the Lord’s Easter promises to us are certain and true. May the Lord work in us so that our
Easter promises to Him may be true too.
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