By Pastor Chad
The resurrection is the pinnacle event of all creation. It shapes and molds all of human history. It is the crux of the Christian faith. If the resurrection did not happen, then Christianity is false.
The gruesome nature of the crucifixion is an indicator of the profound impact of sin on our lives. Our sin is an affront to God. It is an affront to his holiness. The brutality of the crucifixion represents the hideousness of our condition. It took a drastic act of God to free us from such darkness. It took the God-Man, Jesus Christ, to die and rise from the dead. God offered himself as a sacrifice. He is our propitiation. His death satisfied the wrath of the Father, and made a way so that all who repent and believe can be saved.
In John 11:25, when Jesus declares to be the “resurrection and the life,” He isn’t trying to be clever. He isn’t just trying to be provocative. He is insinuating His dominion and authority over every aspect of existence–even death itself. His reach does not end at the grave, it extends to hell and back. Our God who created life also commands death.
Though our sin is substantial, it is no match for the power of God. If you think your sin is minor, you don’t understand the holiness of God. And if you think God cannot wash away your sin, you misunderstand the power of God. Both are miscalculations of God’s ability and character.
We humans are born shackled to a burden from which we cannot escape. Sin has us by the neck. But it is no match against the blood of Christ. Freeing us from this burden is a joy of the Lord. He was pleased to crush his Son for our sins, and we are truly alive when freed by his grace. The destructive force of sin keeps us from living as we were created to live; it keeps us from being who we were created to be. Its corrosive nature is bent on wrecking your life.
Of course, sin doesn’t present itself as the bane of our existence. Sin is…fun. Sin is (dare I say) enjoyable, at first. It is sometimes difficult to see its destructive power until we are already in its grip. The good news is: No one is beyond the reach of God. No sin is so great that it cannot be forgiven. How do I know that? Well, I know because Jesus rose from the dead. Again, the awesome power of sin is puny against the sovereign power of God. The ultimate cause of death is sin. When Jesus walked out of that tomb alive, He exhibited sin’s inability to disrupt His providential will.
Words are insufficient at describing his magnificent grace. Scribbles on a screen do little to truly articulate the impact of His death and resurrection. That isn’t to say our fleshly desires are trivial to God, but they are not an insurmountable barrier to His forgiveness. The blood of Christ is sufficient. The resurrection of Jesus is enough. One day, however, we will better understand. When we are in his presence, His glory will overwhelm us, but we will better know then the majesty that has redeemed all who repent and believe.