Weekend, April 3, 2021
The Message of Easter
“But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. He is the first of a great harvest of all who have died” (1 Corinthians 15:20 NLT).
It never was God’s plan for us to die; it was His plan for us to live forever. It wasn’t even God’s plan for us to age. If our first parents hadn’t eaten the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden, sin wouldn’t have entered the world.
We all face the repercussions of it.
But here’s the message of Easter: Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead. And the resurrection of Jesus was the death of death. The resurrection of Jesus says that we can live beyond the grave.
I know that people are still dying, and they always will. It will happen to all of us in time.
The apostle Paul wrote, “But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. He is the first of a great harvest of all who have died” (1 Corinthians 15:20 NLT).
And here’s what we know: our resurrection bodies that God will give to us will be similar to the resurrection body of Jesus.
When Christ rose, He still bore in his hands the marks of the crucifixion. He still ate food. He still was flesh and blood. At the same time, He did things He hadn’t done previously, like enter a room without using the door.
The Bible tells us, “Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is” (1 John 3:2 NKJV).
And this is the best news of all: If you have loved ones who died in faith, you will see them again. Your loved ones who have gone to Heaven are not just a part of your past; they’re also a part of your future.
Death died when Christ rose.
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Grief is one of life’s most difficult challenges. Pastor Greg Laurie experienced this truth when his son Christopher passed away suddenly. Discover comfort and healing in times of pain as you read his book Hope for Hurting Hearts. Receive your copy as our gift for your donation of any amount to Harvest Ministries this month.
