Ridgell's Originals

The Resurrection changes everything.  We will live forever.  Jesus defeated death when God raised him from the dead.  That enemy has lost the war.  That is a great Easter message.  Worth preaching.  Needed truth for our friends and neighbors.  Because of the Resurrection no believer has to fear death.

I have seen Easter lived out in powerful ways in hospital rooms and funerals.  I have seen men I love face death with confidence and courage.  I have seen their families grieve, but grieve with hope. 

Easter is a great message of hope for when we face death.

But the resurrection message is more than that.  When Paul was reminding the Roman believers about what their baptism meant, he connected it not just to the death of Jesus on the cross, but also to the resurrection.  In baptism, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the power of God, we are raised to new life.

Live resurrected.  Our old life was put to death.  No more shame or guilt over our sins.  They are forgiven at the cross.  But there is more to the message.  We are raised as a new person.  So for all those living a life that does not work.  A life of pain or hurt.  Life without hope or purpose.  No joy.  No peace.  You can have new life.  Different life.  Because of the power of God to raise Jesus from the dead.

So I would suggest the Easter message has three great pieces of news.

Jesus died on the cross for our sins.

When we are raised from the water of baptism we have new life.

And because Jesus was raised from the dead after the cross, we too will be raised from the dead never to die again.

So I have seen Easter in the hospital and funeral homes.

And I have seen Easter in redeemed life.  I have seen Easter in those whose heart holes have been filled by Jesus. 

Changed lives because he rose from the dead.

Good news:  he died for our sins, they buried him, and God raised him from the dead.

You can share in that death, be buried, and by the power of God be resurrected to new life.

Forever.