Resurrection Sunday | Spiritual Life Director Paul Pitts III
Happy Resurrection Sunday, Village Christian Family. Peace be with you. "Peace be with you” are words taken from Jesus’ mouth upon His first appearances to His disciples in the Gospel of John (John 20:19, 21, 26). These words are only possible for us in relation to God, one another, and in our hearts because: JESUS IS RISEN.
The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the greatest news of all time and good news of peace offered to all who trust in Him. The Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, born of a virgin, the God-man, sinless fulfiller of God’s law, healer of the sick, preacher of God’s truth, raiser of the dead, crucified for sins not His own—Himself rose from the dead. The reason why these words, JESUS IS RISEN, are so significant is because at one point the Savior of the world laid down His life in death, making peace through the blood of His cross (Col. 1:20). But why did Jesus have to die?
We live in a world groaning for glory, for the creation itself, along with the depths of our souls, knows there is something wrong with the world today and that redemption is needed (Rom. 8:18-27). But this wrong in the world isn’t just in the air; it begins with us. The Bible tells us all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Rom. 3:23). Though we were created to glorify God and enjoy Him forever, loving God and each other, in our sinfulness we have loved ourselves, money, pleasure, and anything else rather than God (Rom. 3:11-18, 2 Tim. 3:3:1-4). God created us to be worshippers and lovers, and we still are, but naturally we don’t give it to Him (Rom. 1:18-25) even though God is so worthy of our worship, adoration, love, affection, and allegiance. Our problem is sin, for we are sinners by nature and choice. We transgress God’s law, purposely and intentionally with pride, unbelief, sinful indifference to God, ingratitude to God, selfishness, loveless living and the list could go on. But, in His infinite wisdom, God not only gave us His law to show us His beautiful holiness, or to solely be a mirror for our sinfulness, God gave us His law as a tutor to point us to our need for a Savior, Jesus Christ (Gal. 3:24). The wages of sin is death (Rom. 6:23), that is why Jesus had to save us by dying as a substitute.
The good news of the gospel of grace is that God in His great love sent His Only Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, that whoever believes in Him would not perish in eternal judgement but receive eternal life (John 3:16). The Lord Jesus was truly man and truly God, who lived beautifully and perfectly, fulfilling the law of God in the way we never could (Matt. 5:17). Jesus was tempted in every way, yet without sin, showing that He doesn’t need rescue but is the one who provides it (Heb. 2:17-28, 4:15). Jesus, the good shepherd, loved us in His living with amazing grace. Furthermore, Jesus the good shepherd loved us, wayward sheep, in His dying (Isaiah 53:6, John 10:11). Jesus on the cross was pierced for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities, died as a substitute in our place and on our behalf bearing the full weight of the condemnation and judgement of God against our sin (Isaiah 53:4). On the cross, we see the righteous, Jesus, die as a substitute for the unrighteous that He might bring us, who trust in Him, back to God the Father as reconciled and adopted children (1 Pet. 3:18). On the cross, we behold the holy love of God, for God shows us His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Rom. 5:8). On the cross, we see the incomparably great love of Jesus who laid His life down for His friends (John 15:13). This is why Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6), only in Him is there forgiveness and washing away of our sins. But the gospel isn’t only the death of Jesus, the good news of peace through Jesus Christ culminates with the resurrection of Christ. Jesus not only died for us but He rose from the dead to life forevermore as our living hope (1 Pet. 1:3).
This undeniable truth changes everything for everyone, including you. The bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ vindicated Jesus as the Son of God and only Savior. No other religious figure is alive, when it comes to defeating death—Jesus stands alone. Christ Jesus is not a liar, nor a lunatic, Jesus is Lord and everyone will confess it, whether believingly in joy or begrudgingly in judgement (Rom. 10:9-10, Phil. 2:10-11). Jesus rose as He said he would (Matt. 28:6), and Jesus truly did pay in full the redemption price for our sin (John 19:30). The resurrection of Jesus means that you can trust Him when He says in Scripture, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden (by their sin), and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:28). The resurrection of Jesus means we can say and accept with full confidence the proclamation: Believe in the Lord Jesus and you shall be saved (Acts 16:31). The resurrection of Jesus means that you can repent of your sin and turn to the Christ, who will receive you (John 6:37). The resurrection of Jesus shows you that He is willing and able to save us to the uttermost, when we draw near to God through Him, and that He will always live to be our Mediator (Heb. 7:25). The resurrection of Jesus assures you that His sacrifice was enough to wash away your sins and bring you to perfect peace with God (Eph. 2:14). The resurrection of Jesus means that by faith alone, you can receive (not earn or achieve) the very righteousness of Christ to clothe you before God, since Jesus was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification (Rom. 4:25). The resurrection of Jesus gives way to joy knowing Jesus is alive and with us today (Matt. 28:20). We follow the risen Savior, who ascended to heaven, where He sits at the right hand of His Father, who we can now call Father, by the Holy Spirit, through the salvation of Christ the Son (Gal. 4:4-7). Nothing can separate us from the love of Christ, not even death (Rom. 8:31-39). Death for the Christian isn’t a dead-end but a doorway wherein our faith becomes sight and we dwell with Jesus forever in glory (1 Cor. 15:54-57, 2 Cor. 5:8). We have hope beyond the grave in Christ alone. This is the gospel message of God’s redeeming love, amazing grace, and mercy that is greater than your sin. We don’t deserve such good news, but Jesus our Risen Savior is full of grace and truth. Be encouraged on this resurrection Sunday by the gospel of the grace and glory of Jesus Christ, receive and rest in Him today with trusting faith, whether for the first time or afresh as one of His own. Everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved (Rom. 10:13).
“I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?”
- John 11:25-26
Jesus is risen. Peace be with you.
Paul Pitts III
Spiritual Life Director
Village Christian School