Many of us have experienced the sting of death. For some it was the death of a loved one and for others the death of a dream or desire. If you are reading these words with sorrow in your heart or even tears in your eyes over that death, I want to say how sorry I am. I grieve with you.
And in our grieving, I'd like to offer you the hope of life. It’s the hope of a particular kind of life: resurrection life. Easter is about life just that kind of life; life from the dead.
Easter is about the historical fact that Jesus Christ of Nazareth was crucified and died on a cross outside of Jerusalem in the early first century and was raised from the dead three days later.
Here is what Easter tells us about death: Death was introduced into the world because of the “first” Adam's disobedience to God's command in the Garden of Eden. This disobedience is what the Bible calls sin. It is both physical and spiritual, affecting every human being in the past, present and future.
And here is what Easter tells us about life: Life was introduced into the world because of the “second” Adam, Jesus Christ, who obeyed God's plan for him to die on the cross for our sins. Because of Jesus, there is physical and spiritual blessing (life!) for every human being who repents of his or her sin against God and believes in Christ.
1 Corinthians 15:56-57 captures this truth so well:
The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Jesus defeated the power of sin and death through his death and resurrection so that we might experience LIFE by repenting and placing our faith in Him alone!