Why the Resurrection of Jesus Matters in Our Daily Lives

I am excited for the signs of spring. The weather is nicer, the days are getting longer, the birds are back, the trees are budding and, in just a few days, we’re going to celebrate Easter. Time is going by fast, at least for me. It seems like the stores barely put away the Christmas items and decorations, and then they immediately put out Valentine’s Day merchandise, and before Valentine’s Day was over, I saw Easter bunnies, and eggs, and other Easter-related selections on the shelves. I don’t know about you, but sometimes I feel like I’m stuck in an endless cycle of repetitions, and the same seasonal patterns keep recurring, a bit like the movie The Truman Show with Jim Carrey, where,

“All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players;

They have their exits and their entrances,

And one man in his time plays many parts,

His acts being seven ages,” (William Shakespeare, As You Like It).

I know that’s a bit of a deep intro, but what I am trying to say is, if we’re not careful, life becomes redundant, and we just hurry through the days. We lose sight of what matters most, and we play many parts and go through the motions. We switch on autopilot, and then we check the boxes: work, school, volunteer. Cook, clean, and run errands. Appointments, kids’ games, play dates. Family time on weekends, and church on Sundays, then repeat again. And time just flies.

Just like I stated from the book of Ecclesiastes chapter 3, verse 1, in my January blog post, “To everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven,” and right now we are in the season where we are juggling family, work, and other responsibilities, and this is definitely the busiest time of our lives, and hectic, same old, same old days, months, and sometimes years are inevitable and a very normal part of life.

Now you ask, “What does all of this have to do with Easter coming up and Jesus’ resurrection mattering in our daily lives?” A whole lot, actually. Jesus’ resurrection is powerful. It transformed His twelve apostles and His disciples, and they lived their lives with purpose and focus. They were never the same after Jesus’ resurrection. Lives were changed everywhere. I believe that believing in the resurrection of Jesus is powerful and transformative in our lives, too, and it impacts our outlook on life.

So, as we approach Resurrection Sunday, I want to encourage us all to slow down a little bit and read at least one of the four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John). This will remind us of the power of the resurrection of Jesus and the hope it brings into our lives. I love all of the Gospels, but the Gospel of John is a great place to start. My go-to Gospel is the Gospel of Matthew because Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount is recorded there.

Whichever Gospel you choose to read, let’s reflect on Jesus’ sayings, and His life, death, and resurrection. Doing this will strengthen our confidence in God knowing that He keeps His promises. He gave us the promised Messiah, our Redeemer, who said, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep,” (John 10:11, NIV). And “He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?” (Romans 8:32, NIV). So, Jesus’ resurrection reminds us that God gave His only Son to lead the way, to teach us how to live the abundant life. In the midst of our hectic and stressful seasons, He will renew our spirits, and the power of the resurrections will recharge us daily with the strength, joy, and endurance we need to keep going.

Furthermore, by reading the Gospels and reflecting on Jesus’ life, everything He said, and knowing that He overcame death by His resurrection, we become overcomers just like Jesus, “For everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God,” (1 John 5:4-5, NIV). We are reminded that, because of the resurrection, we have been empowered to rise above every challenge life throws our way, and, like the lyrics of the beautiful worship song say, “Because He lives, I can face tomorrow,” (Bill Gaither, Because He Lives).

Our faith, our hope, the Bible verses that help us, guide us, and encourage us, all rest on the fact that Jesus Christ was resurrected three days after dying on the cross. And the apostle Paul emphasized this fact when he said, “If Christ has not been raised, then all our preaching is useless, and your faith is useless,” (1 Corinthians 15:14, NLT). So, the resurrection of Jesus matters greatly, and we can see the big picture of life because He lives.

And here is the big picture. Jesus speaking to Martha, “… said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?'” (John 11:25-26, NIV). And in the words of Billy Graham, “For the believer, there is hope beyond the grave, because Jesus Christ has opened the door to heaven for us by His death and resurrection.” This is the greatest news ever and the main reason why the resurrection of Jesus matters in our daily lives. This is what our hope is based on. We are passing through this life. God has entrusted us with so many blessings, our families, and our friends, and He has given us a purpose and many gifts and abilities to survive and thrive in each season of life. But once our time is done here on Earth, Jesus Christ will open the door to heaven for us and welcome us in, and there we will see Him face-to-face, and “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away,” (Revelation 21:4, NIV).

So, as we prepare ourselves to celebrate Easter, Resurrection Sunday, let’s heed the words of the apostle Paul who reminds us that, because of the resurrection, we believers have been transformed and enabled “to walk in newness of life,” (Romans 6:4, ESV). The apostle Paul explains, “My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me,” (Galatians 2:20, NLT). “Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain,” (1 Corinthians 15:58, NIV). And “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit,” (Romans 15:13, NIV).

The tomb is empty, friends! He is risen! He is risen indeed!

Have a blessed Resurrection Day, everyone!

Flora