It's THE Day!

If there was a single day that they marked on the calendar, it was this one. Christmas was important, and Pentecost marked the birth of what would become known as Christianity, but for the 1st century believers, this day was THE day - Easter. The resurrection was the central theme of Peter and Paul’s sermon and the event that catapulted Christianity out of the 1st century. It’s likely if there was no Easter we would not have heard of Jesus today.

You see, Christianity, unlike other world religions, is not held together by the teachings of one person. This shocks a lot of people who sit in rows on a Sunday morning. If all we had were the teachings of Jesus, it’s very likely Christianity would not have made it out of the 1st century. When you think about it, Jesus taught some very “strange” truths. Here’s just one example: Jesus said, “Love your enemy.” Now that will draw a crowd! Jesus taught, “Pray for those who persecute you.” What kind of message is that? If we think that is strange today, imagine what his 1st century audience must have thought! They were Jewish people who were occupied and controlled by the Roman government. The Romans were ruthless in their control of Jerusalem. The Jews knew who their enemies were; their enemies were those people standing around in armor and with swords. Now, Jesus comes along and says, “Pray for those who persecute you. Love your enemy.” That’s the guy I want to follow? Probably not!

If all we had were the claims of Jesus, we probably would have never heard of Jesus after he died. For example, Jesus went throughout his ministry claiming that he was the Son of God in the flesh. As strange as that claim was for many of his 1st century audience, it was not uncommon. There were several who claimed to be the Messiah before Jesus. Theudas had claimed to be the Messiah and tried to prove it by promising to split the waters of the Jordan River with a word. The waters continued to flow! The famous Egyptian pretender (Acts 21:38) had promised that with a word he would lay flat the walls of Jerusalem to prove he was the Messiah. One is still standing today! Simon Magus had promised to fly through the air. He did not stick the landing and died in the attempt. If all we had were the claims of Jesus, it is likely we wouldn’t be talking about him today.

It wasn’t Jesus’ teachings and it wasn’t Jesus’ claims that got his name out of the 1st century. It is something that he did. It was one single event in history that took cowardly disciples, who hid during Jesus’ trial and denied who he was, and turned them around, heading them right back into the same neighborhood saying, “We believe he is who he claimed to be, not because of something he taught, not because of something he claimed and not because we saw him die on a cross; but because of something he did. We saw him arrested, crucified, buried and three days later we had a meal with him. He is alive, he is alive, he is alive!” It was Jesus’ resurrection that catapulted him out of the 1st century. It is the resurrection that makes Easter THE day.

I am, by nature, a very skeptical person. But do you know why I believe the origin of life cannot be explained by a theory that says “nobody times nothing equals everything”; do you know why I believe that when I pray someone hears and answers my prayers (not always in the way I like); do you know why I believe the Bible’s definition of marriage and the family is best; do you know why I believe hell is for real; do you know why I believe there is only one way to heaven? It’s because Jesus said so and he is the only person who ever predicted his own death and resurrection … and three days later pulled it off in front of countless witnesses.

And one day when you are sitting at the bedside of a loved one, when his strength is failing, the end draws near and his time has come, it is comforting to know that because THE historic day we celebrate today occurred another is scheduled for the future – the time you’ll meet your believing loved one again. And, believe me, that will be a great event all because of this one day, THE day called Easter.

Happy Easter!

-Dr. John Parlow, Lead Pastor