. . . Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures. (1 Cor. 15:3-4)

Death seemed to point to a weakness in Jesus’ claims to be more than a man.  Being raised from the dead, however, took divine power.  See 2 Corinthians 13:4.  Consequently, Easter’s power confirms the identity of Jesus as the Son of God.

 . . . who through the Spirit of holiness was declared with power to be the Son of God by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord.  (Rom. 1:4)

If He had remained dead, He would be no greater than mankind.  He would not have accomplished salvation.  But, having power over death and the devil, Jesus proved Himself to be the promised One.

“Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death – that is, the devil – and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. ” (Heb. 2:14-15)

Ephesians 1:19-20 speaks of  “his incomparably great power for us who believe.

The Power of God that raised Jesus from the dead is available for us today.

1. Easter’s power assures us of our own resurrection. (1 Cor. 6:14)
2. Easter’s power gives us everything we need to be godly. (2 Pet. 1:3)
3. Easter’s power enables us to serve from a vantage point of strength, not weakness.  (2 Cor. 13:4)
4. Easter’s power emboldens us to hold forth the Gospel. (Rom. 1:16)

Let’s be careful that we don’t think we can take something wrought by the power of God, and perpetuate it by human wisdom and effort.

 . . . preach the gospel – not with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.  For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.  (1 Cor. 1:17-18)

. . . Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures. (1 Cor. 15:3-4)

God has always been a God of grace but Easter highlights that trait.  –

“This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.” (2 Tim. 1:9-10)

Easter reminds us that “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God” (Eph. 2:8).  But, Easter grace not only saves us.  It enables us to walk the walk, as seen in Colossians 2:6, NASB, — “Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him.”

We receive grace upon grace, even after we are saved.  Grace goes beyond the impartation of life because of Easter.

1. Easter Grace continues by blessing. (Jn. 1:16)
2. Easter Grace continues by giving.  (2 Cor. 8:7-9)
3. Easter Grace continues by forgiving.  (Eph. 1:7)
4. Easter Grace continues by empowering.  (Rom. 12:6; 1 Cor. 15:10; 2 Cor. 9:8; 12:9; 1 Pet. 4:10)
5. Easter Grace continues by encouraging.  (2 Thess. 2:16)
6. Easter Grace continues by strengthening.  (Heb. 13:9)
7. Easter Grace continues by teaching and motivating.
   (Titus 2:11-12)

Easter grace is something we need to better understand so we grab hold of it more fully.  May we “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen” (2 Pet. 3:18).

. . . Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures. (1 Cor. 15:3-4)

Easter defines love. – “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers” (1 Jn. 3:16).  “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son …” (Jn. 3:16)

Easter demonstrates God’s love. – “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8).  “This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him” (1 Jn. 4:9-10) .

Easter epitomizes love – “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends” (Jn. 15:13).

Easter enables us to love – “We love because he first loved us” (1 Jn. 4:19).  “And live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God” (Eph. 5:2).

Here is what we can learn about love because of Easter:

1. Easter teaches us that love sacrifices for another.
2. Easter teaches us that love gives to others.
3. Easter teaches us that love wants the best for others.
4. Easter teaches us that love does not wait for someone else to take the first step.
5. Easter teaches us that love reaches out unconditionally, even to the seemingly unlovable.

“And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge-that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”  (Eph. 3:17-19)

. . . Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures. (1 Cor. 15:3-4)

Easter reminds us that God is holy and righteous.  At the root of God sending Jesus to die on the cross is His holiness.  “The wages of sin is death” (Rom. 6:23).  Because of sin, not only did physical death become a reality but also eternal, spiritual death … separation from God. 

Why? – Because He is a holy and righteous God who cannot stand in the presence of sin.  Hebrews 12:14 says “without holiness no one will see the Lord.”

The sin problem must be taken care of in order for a holy and righteous God to enter into a relationship with people.  That’s what happened at Easter. 

Jesus died and took our sin upon Him so that we could be made pure.  When God looks at those who have accepted His Son, He no longer sees their sin but rather Jesus’ blood which covers them.

“But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight.” (Col. 1:22)

“And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.”  (Heb. 10:10)

So, what does Easter teach us about holiness & righteousness?

1. Easter reinforces that keeping God’s laws cannot make us holy. “Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin” (Rom. 3:20).  As verse 27 says, “Where, then, is boasting?”
2. Easter reminds us that we are all in the same lost condition and all in the same need of a Savior.  “This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:22-23).  To think we gain God’s favor over someone else because we are “better” than them is pure foolishness.  Apart from Jesus, we would all get F’s on the test, even if someone seemed to do better than another.
3. Easter emphasizes that apart from a work of God in our lives to impute that holiness on us, we will always miss the mark.  “There is no one righteous, not even one … This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. . . . for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:11-23).  How absurd for us to think we can ever live up to the just demands of a holy God in and of ourselves. 

When we trust in the work Jesus did on the cross, we stand righteous and holy in Him. We are thus called to “to a holy life – not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace” (2 Tim. 1:9).    The state of our lives does not always match our standing.  What will it take for us to be holy as He is holy?  Perhaps Colossians 3:12 provides a clue:

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.  (Col. 3:12)

Notice the phrase “clothe yourselves.”  The idea in these phrases is that we are putting on something that is not a natural part of us.  The garmet of righteousness we put on is His. The key to being holy, then, begins with realizing our need for Him to work in and through us.