24 April 2022
Easter was here and gone. In all likelihood, believers will only think of Easter the next year. More so, few would ponder over and realise the great significance of what Easter represents and means. It is certainly not about Easter eggs or Easter bunnies. It speaks of the resurrection.
The Apostle Paul wrote that if there is no resurrection, we believers are most to be pitied. But Paul affirmed that there is a resurrection and he himself wrote of his desire to ‘know the power of the resurrection’ in his own life (Phil.3:10).
The cross and the resurrection together bring the future new creation, the power through which God renews humanity, into our present – the renewing power from the future brings the future kingdom of God into the present world of ours for those who believe. Although this is only partial in reality, yet it is substantial and real. The future kingdom of God has entered into the present and those in the present can look with hope to the glorious future; the kingdom of God has come, is coming and will come in all its entirety. We can live our life here in a way that involves and participates in the future God has for us. There are two worlds – the world here in which we live in now and the world we look forward to, “setting our minds on that which are above and beyond” where Christ is seated at the right hand of the Father (Col. 3:1-2).
Because Christ is raised from the dead and He is the ‘first fruits’, we shall also rise from the dead. It should affect our conduct here on earth, our relationships, our attitudes toward this world and the material things, our understanding and outworking of every area of our life. This is the stupendous significance and meaning of the resurrection (Easter).
Are we living in the light of this new creation and hope? The cross and the resurrection should make such an impact in our values and outworking in life; otherwise we have not understood and appreciate the meaning and implication of the resurrection. If we live as if Easter is just an annual observance like any other occasion hers on earth, we have missed the true meaning of what happened when Jesus rose again!