It’s that time of year again. This weekend is Easter, which means you’ll likely be participating in your fair share of pastel family photos, Easter Egg Hunts, and post-church family dinners. This also means you’ll likely listen to a sermon, read a social media post, or participate in a church service focusing on the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
I hope you do – that’s the entire point of Easter! And I’m sure most people know that, especially “church people.” But what I think we sometimes overlook this time of year is the present day impact of Jesus’ sacrifice.
Growing up I always viewed Easter as the time of year we hear sermons and watch dramas about the (seemingly) distant and future home we have in Heaven.
In no way do I want to minimize the importance or significance of our eternal home, but if our only reason for celebrating Easter is that one day we get to go to Heaven, we’re not celebrating its full impact.
When Jesus died on the cross for our sins – He didn’t just make a new home for those who believe; He made those who believe brand new.
[Tweet “When Jesus died on the cross for our sins – He didn’t just make a new home for those who believe; He made those who believe brand new.”]His sacrifice wasn’t just for “one day when we all get to Heaven;” His sacrifice is for all our days while we’re living on earth stuck in our sin.
Jesus died for relationship, and not just for when we get to Heaven, He died so that we can have relationship here and now. His sacrifice paved the way for us to have intimacy with God. As His new creation, we can now hear from Him and also be heard by Him.
It’s the miracle that we get to experience and live in every single day.
One of my favorite verses, 2 Corinthians 5:17, describes this very thing…
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” 2 Corinthians 5:17
This means Easter can be a time you celebrate not that just one day things will be made new, but that here and now you are being made new.
It’s not an overnight process, but through Christ, it is not only possible – it’s probable. Not only that you can be made new but that…
Your marriage can be made new…
Your reputation can be made new…
Your future can be made new…
There’s nothing wrong with celebrating our home in Heaven, but when it’s our only focus our time spent on earth can begin to seem as insignificant as the time we spend in a DMV lobby.
When Jesus died on the cross and rose three days later, there’s a reason He spent 40 days on earth before ascending to Heaven. He had every right to immediately assume His throne in Heaven, but He didn’t. Instead, He appeared to His scared and scattered followers and taught them the importance of their time left on earth (Matthew 28:16-20).
As you enter the Easter weekend I want to encourage you to remember just how much the here and now matters. Resurrection power lives in you and that’s something that should never be wasted.
What are your thoughts? Leave a comment below or share on social media to encourage others.