Easter Sunday Christians will gather early in the morning for Easter Sunrise Services to celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Only time will tell whether the skyline will yield a reddish glow from a sun whose early morning rays pierce through the darkness or yield clouds that will seek to hide the sun’s radiance. No matter the weather, I am thankful on that first Easter morning the clouds of sin, the devil and death could not keep Jesus, the Sun of Righteousness, from piercing the darkness of this world with His glorious Light of redemption and reconciliation. As Christians gather for Sunrise Services the cool gentle morning breeze that will brush our cheeks should reminded us of His ever abiding presence. As we lift our voices in praise that Christ arose from the dead let us joyfully sing of His triumph over the grave. As we gather if we listen closely we can still hear the proclamation of the angels on that first Easter morning echoing in the air, “He is not here, He is risen.” Yes, “this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, [being raised from the dead] sat down at the right hand of God” (Hebrews 10:12). That Christ arose from the dead is truly a wonderful truth worth lifting our voices in praise.

 That Christ arose from the dead is a historical fact. Evidence from eyewitnesses of the Christ-event and even from writings other than the Bible by first century writers verifies the historicity of His resurrection. The cross and resurrection of Christ is the central point of eternity, history and the Christian faith. While Christians can celebrate the historical reality of Christ’s resurrection, for the Christian Easter is every day. But how does Christ’s resurrection impact our daily lives?

 For the believer Easter if every day, for the same power that raised Christ from the dead is available to us each day of our lives. Paul writes about this amazing truth, “And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you” (Romans 8:11). Did you get that, the same power that raised Christ’s lifeless body from the dead dwells with us and in us; such power is available to us in our daily lives. WOW!!

 If the resurrection power of Christ dwells with us and in us why should we think we can’t face and get through the obstacles, difficulties and mountains that we confront in life? Yes, we place our faith in a historical event, but much more, His living presence is accessible for the practicality of daily living. It matters not what the trial, the testing, or the temptation the resurrection power of Christ is there to strengthen us. Paul, as he faced his own obstacles, writes, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Phil 4:13). Writing from a prison cell he knew the practicality of Christ’s resurrection power to help him in his daily situations.

 The believer has access to “the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, which [God] wrought (exerted, accomplished , brought to decisive finality) in Christ, when he raised him from the dead and set him at his own right hand…” (Eph. 1:19-20). This verse tells us that the power we have available to us was put to the ultimate test when Christ was raised from the dead. If such power was victorious in the raising of Christ from the cold dark tomb, cannot “the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe” help us in the adverse circumstances of our lives. Can you think of a situation that His power is not able to give us victory?

 P.T. Forsyth eloquently writes, “From the New Testament point of view the seat of chief power and authority in the universe is the cross and resurrection of Jesus Christ…For Paul the omnipotence of God was chiefly shown in raising Christ from the dead… [the] act wherein was exerted the whole power of God for the world – the resurrection of Christ.” Forsyth goes on to say the center point of the Christian’s faith must be in the two-fold event of the cross and resurrection and we must not lack faith in “the greatest exertion of omnipotence ever known – the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. We only [live] by the power of his resurrection.”

 Our Christian faith rests upon Christ’s resurrection and His living presence in our midst. Yet are you and I living daily by the power of His of resurrection? Do we desire to know the power of His resurrection working in our lives? The practicality of the resurrection is that its power is sufficient to empower us daily in all of life’s storms and struggles. The supreme exhibition of the power of God is found in Christ’s resurrection, but are we relying upon such awesome power each day? While we gather this Easter Sunday to celebrate His resurrection, it is an event we can celebrate every day of the week. We can celebrate knowing His presence and power penetrates and invades every area of our lives.

Blessings,

Dr. Dan