“Christ the Lord is risen today, hallelujah.” This is the opening line of an old hymn I remember singing in a number of churches my family used to attend. It is typically thought of as strictly an “Easter” song that we pull out once a year and sing loudly with gusto and celebration. But here is a thought: should it only be sung during Easter? In fact, should Easter only be meaningful and celebrated once a year?
Here are three reasons why you might consider that everyday should be Easter for Christians.
It is Foundational
It has been said elsewhere, “without his bodily resurrection, Jesus’s claims to divinity would be empty, and the gospel’s claim to be the power of God for salvation would be false.” (1) This is so true. In fact, the apostle Paul said the same in 1 Corinthians 15:19 when making a case for the resurrection. He said, “If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.”
When Christ died, all hope seemed lost. It appeared that our atonement would not be complete, and the punishment of our sin still equaled death (Rom. 6:23). Then out of the depths of despair, he rose from the dead and the power of life was sealed for us. Our only hope in this life is that Jesus did in fact raise from the dead. If it were to be decided that Christ did not rise from the grave, we would be the pity of the world.
The great news is that the resurrection did happen, and we do have hope for salvation in Jesus. Since this is the foundation of our faith, a couple of things should happen.
We should rejoice every day that Jesus died for our sin and rose to life so that we could experience forever with God.
We should tell everyone about it!
Hope is Needed NOW
This world is getting darker and darker every day and it is our privilege and responsibility to shine the brightest beacon of hope in the darkest depths of sin, sadness, and tragedy. Suffering is not new to humanity. Our current situation has resulted in much death, turmoil, and division. Lives are lost, families have been destroyed, and hopelessness abounds.
Still, we know a Great Comforter and Restorer who can make all things right. He makes new creations when he saves people from sin, and this points us to a future hope when he will make all things new once-and-for-all.
Easter should be treasured in our hearts every day because not only does your neighbor desperately need Christ, but you do too. Every day a battle rages for your heart’s attention. Fix that attention on the hope we have in Christ, the resurrection of the body and soul, which is the balm we need to heal our daily wounds.
The Time is Urgent
I don’t know who still needs to be reminded, but we never have enough time. There are never enough hours in the day and there are never enough days in the year. It is also clear that no one knows the day or the hour that Christ will come back (Mark 13:32). However, we should always work hard as if tomorrow is the day.
Knowing the full narrative of Scripture, we should lean into the mission of God even more. Our love for the Lord, the joy we have in receiving salvation, and the importance of this modern moment should propel us into more gospel work in our community. We should sense the urgency of our mission and understand how fleeting time is for us. This should motivate us to make the most impact for God’s kingdom.
To end, I want to share this quote from Benjamin C.F. Shaw that I find helpful and encouraging:
“The resurrection provides immense hope, comfort, peace, and joy. Since all this is of such importance, it is necessary for believers to keep in mind the evidences for their belief in the resurrection so that they may be prepared to give a reason for the hope that they have when asked (1 Pet. 3:15).”
Savor this time of Lent and let the rich truth and beauty of Easter seep deep into your heart, so that the hope of the resurrection will make a massive difference for you each and every day.
References:
https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/essay/bodily-resurrection-jesus/