Easter is the most sacred day in the Christian relationship with God, and the very essence of Christianity itself.
It has been buried under bunnies, baskets, Easter eggs and chocolate. But it is not about any of those things. It is about the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.
Easter is the Resurrection Day — the Church’s declaration that Jesus Christ conquered death, secured salvation, and proved Himself to be exactly who He said He is.
St. Peter’s Square as Pope Leo XIV presides over the Easter Mass on April 5 in Vatican City. Getty Images Christianity does not rest on an idea. It rests on an event. Jesus Christ was crucified, buried and rose again from the dead.
If that did not happen, then Christianity collapses under its own claims. But if it did happen, then every human being has to come to terms with what that means.
Without the Resurrection, the words of Jesus are reduced to wise sayings, His miracles become acts of compassion, and His death becomes one more tragic story in history.
But Jesus did rise. The tomb really was empty. And because He rose, every promise He made is proven trustworthy.
The Resurrection itself is rooted in biblical prophecy. God had spoken beforehand through the Hebrew scriptures, promising that the Messiah would come, suffer and triumph.
Pope Leo XIV delivers his blessing to the faithful at the end of the Easter Vigil in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican, Vatican City on April 4. Anadolu via Getty Images The Resurrection of Jesus is therefore not a secondary issue in the Christian faith. It is the foundation beneath it. It proves that the cross accomplished what God said it would accomplish. It confirms that sin was paid for, death was defeated, and the power of Hell was broken by the power of God.
It is not a metaphor. It is a historical reality with eternal consequences.
Resurrection Day is also deeply personal. Christianity is not merely a religion. Religion is man’s attempt to reach God. But the Gospel is God reaching down to us and making a way for us to know Him personally through Jesus Christ.
The Resurrection is therefore not only a doctrine to be studied. It is an invitation to a relationship.
It is also meant to shape the kind of people we become. In a time like ours, where outrage is rewarded, suspicion is constant, and division seems to define public life, Christians should be different.
The Resurrection of Jesus Christ equips believers to be people of peace. Not people of compromise, and not people who go silent in the face of evil, but people who are steady, self-controlled, truthful and unafraid.
Because Christ is alive, we do not have to be ruled by anger, panic or resentment. We can speak the truth in love.
What does that look like in today’s climate? It means refusing to treat people made in the image of God as enemies. It means telling the truth without slander, holding convictions without hatred, and showing restraint in a world that praises instant reaction.
It means that in our homes, our churches, our schools and even online, Christians should be known for bringing calm where others bring chaos, for seeking reconciliation where others deepen the divide, and for showing mercy without surrendering what is right.
The Bible says all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. That is why Jesus came. He came to die in our place, bear our guilt, satisfy the righteous demands of God, and rise again on the third day so that we might receive the righteousness only God can provide.
This is exactly what Jesus says in John 3:15–21. God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son. Whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
Resurrection people should not add to the noise, the contempt, or the bitterness of the age. We should be the kind of people who keep our word, honor our neighbor, care for the weak, forgive when wronged, and bring a settled confidence into fearful places.
Christians should be people of peace because we know the Prince of Peace, and because His victory over sin and death has changed not only our future, but the way we live right now.
If you’ve never done so, make a decision to follow Jesus Christ today. Do not admire the message and miss the Savior. Do not celebrate the season and remain unchanged.
Know that Jesus is alive and offers forgiveness, peace, purpose, and eternal life to all who will come to Him in faith.
And so: What is the meaning of Resurrection Day?
It is this: Jesus Christ is alive. Sin has been paid for. Death has been conquered. Heaven stands open to all who will come to God through His Son.
That is the greatest news this world will ever hear.
Pastor Jack Hibbs is president of The Real Life Network .
California Post News: Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, YouTube, WhatsApp, LinkedInCalifornia Post Sports Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, XCalifornia Post Opinion California Post Newsletters: Sign up here!California Post App: Download here!Home delivery: Sign up here!Page Six Hollywood: Sign up here!
