Easter — the heartof the Christian faith

Pastor Isaac Gordon of Brewarrina.  Photo supplied

   Easter Message    

Easter is at the heart of the Christian faith. It is about what Jesus Christ did for the world—His death and His resurrection.

The Bible teaches that everyone has sinned and is separated from God ^{(Romans 3:23)}.

Sin leads to death and judgment ^{(Romans 6:23)}. But God loves us and made a way to bring us back to Himself.

Jesus came and lived a perfect life. He then died on the cross, taking the punishment for our sins ^{(Isaiah 53:5)}. He took our place so we could be forgiven. Timothy Keller said, Jesus lived the life we should live (perfect) and He died the death we should die (being punished for sin).

Jesus was cursed for us ^{(Galatians 3:13)}. When He was crucified, He took the curse that was pronounced upon mankind when Adam and Eve sinned against God in the Garden of Eden.

That curse is only for those who reject Jesus as the Son of God and the Saviour of mankind.

But Easter doesn’t stop there.

Three days after He died, Jesus rose from the dead ^{(1 Corinthians 15:3–4)}. This shows that He has power over sin and death. It proves that what He did on the cross worked.

Because Jesus is alive, there is hope for everyone. Anyone—no matter who they are—can be forgiven and made right with God by trusting in Him ^{(John 3:16)}. This is not something we earn; it is a gift from God ^{(Ephesians 2:8–9)}.

Easter also means new life. When someone believes in Jesus, their life begins to change. They are not only forgiven, but they are given a new way to live, with God helping them ^{(Romans 6:4)}.

And there is a future hope too. Just as Jesus rose from the dead, those who trust in Him will also have eternal life. Death is not the end.

We look forward to the return of Christ, one day in the future (not too far away) Jesus Christ will come from the clouds and call His people (Christians) home to be with Him forever ^{(Titus 2:13)}.

In simple terms, Easter means this:

Jesus died for our sins, rose again, and now offers forgiveness, new life, and hope to the whole world.

Pastor Isaac Gordon, Brewarrina

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