Easter…Now What?

Though we celebrate Easter on one specific day, the impact of Easter is eternal. Easter changes everything. Easter makes all the difference in this world and the world to come.

Why? Just what happened at Easter? What difference does Easter make?   

John Flavel’s (1671) Easter sermon, The Fountain of Life Opened Up, teaches us what happened to Christ and what happened to us because of Good Friday and Easter. May his words pierce our hearts and prompt praise for the glorious Easter exchange.

The Glorious Easter Exchange

Lord, the condemnation was yours, that the justification might be mine.

The agony was yours, that the victory might be mine.

The pain was yours, and the ease mine.

The stripes were yours, and the healing balm issuing from them mine.

The vinegar and gall were yours, that the honey and sweet might be mine.

The curse was yours, that the blessing might be mine.

The crown of thorns was yours, that the crown of glory might be mine.

The death was yours, the life purchased by it mine.

You paid the price, that I might enjoy the inheritance.

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How will you be applying the glorious Easter exchange to your life and ministry?

He Is Risen! I’m Risen Too!

We all love to exchange the traditional Easter greeting:                              

“He is risen.”

“He’s risen indeed!”

The Bible suggests that Christians add another greeting:

“He is risen.”

“I’m risen, too!”

Resurrected with Christ

The Apostle Paul says it plainly. “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above” (Colossians 3:1).

In Ephesians, Paul goes even further in applying Christ’s resurrection to the Christian. He prays that we might know, “His incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him the dead” (Ephesians 1:19-20).

The same power that resurrected Christ resides in every Christian.

Tapping into Our RPMs

Of course, any honest Christians has to ask, “If I’m raised with Christ, if I have the same power implanted in me that raised Christ, then why don’t I live like I’m dead to sin?”

The answer is simple, yet profound. Instead of living victoriously in Christ, we live defeated lives because we try to live in our own power.

Paul tried the same futile approach before he became a Christian—placing his confidence in his own strength (Philippians 3:1-6). That’s why as a believer his focus was laser-like. “I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings” (Philippians 3:10).

Paul understood what we must understand—we have to tap into Christ’s resurrection power. We have to avail ourselves of and apply the empowerment that’s already in us.

We don’t do that alone. In Ephesians 3, Paul prays that we, “may have power together with all the saints” to know Christ’s love, to be filled with God’s fullness, and to experience the immeasurable power that is at work within us (Ephesians 3:17-21).

We need “RPMs.” No, not Revolutions Per Minute. But Resurrection Power Multipliers. (Which explains why I call my ministry “RPM Ministries.”) As we commune with Christ and connect with Christians we tap into Christ’s resurrection power. As we cling to Christ the Vine, His power flows into our lives so that we can produce fruit to His glory.

Applying Our Identity in Christ

One of the most powerful ways we can “tap into Christ’s resurrection power” is through knowing, memorizing, meditating upon, and applying the truth of our new identity in Christ. We are co-crucified with Christ and we are co-resurrected with Christ. We are more than conquerors in Christ. We are saints with a new nature and sons and daughters with new power.

To help Christians to apply these truths, I’ve created a five-page resource Who I Am In Christ  (excerpted from Soul Physicians: A Theology of Soul Care and Spiritual Direction). It paraphrases over 150 verses about your new identity in Christ. Applying these truths to your life will help you to personalize the reality that, “He is risen. So am I!”

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Which of the verses concerning your identity in Christ will you apply in order to tap into Christ’s resurrection power?

It’s Friday…but Sunday’s Coming! 

View…with reverence Pastor S. M. Lockridge’s famous sermon It’s Friday…but Sunday’s Coming! This awe-inspiring video combines the words of the sermon with footage from The Passion of the Christ.

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How does this powerful reminder encourage you to worship Christ even when the hour seems darkest?

Five to Live By: Easter Edition

Linking you to the top 5 Christian blog posts of the week—posts that provide robust, rich, and relevant insights for living. Today’s Five to Live By highlight Holy Week, Good Friday, and Easter.

President Obama on Easter

Ed Stetzer quotes from and provides a video highlight of President Obama’s remarks about Holy Week at the National Prayer Breakfast. They include: “But then comes Holy Week. The triumph of Palm Sunday. The humility of Jesus washing the disciples’ feet. His slow march up that hill, and the pain and the scorn and the shame of the cross. And we’re reminded that in that moment, he took on the sins of the world—past, present and future—and he extended to us that unfathomable gift of grace and salvation through his death and resurrection.” Read and view more at President Obama at the National Prayer Breakfast.

Holy Week Timeline

Stephen Smith at Bible Gateway has created a fascinating Holy Week Timeline Visualization. 

Evidence for the Resurrection

Justin Taylor posts two videos of Dr. William Lane Craig’s presentation Is There Historical Evidence for the Resurrection of Jesus?

Jesus’ Resurrection and Yours

Pastor Steve DeWitt makes a great biblical case for the fact that after the resurrection you will still be you. Read about 15 characteristics of Christ’s resurrection body and yours in Resurrection Characteristics.

The Cross and Christ’s Love

Over at Desiring God, Michael Johnson offers an extended series of quotes from J. I. Packer in Packer, the Cross, and Christ’s Love.

Join the Conversation

Which post impacted you the most? Why? What blog posts have you enjoyed this week that you want to share with others?

Good Friday: The Wonderful Cross 

Chris Tomlin’s The Wonderful Cross calls us to die to self as Christ died for us.

When I survey the wondrous cross
On which the Prince of Glory died
My richest gain I count but loss
And pour contempt on all my pride 

See from his head, his hands, his feet
Sorrow and love flow mingled down
Did ever such love and sorrow meet
Or thorns compose so rich a crown 

O the wonderful cross, O the wonderful cross
Bids me come and die and find that I may truly live
O the wonderful cross, O the wonderful cross
All who gather here by grace draw near and bless Your name 

Were the whole realm of nature mine
That were an offering far too small
Love so amazing, so divine
Demands my soul, my life, my all 

O the wonderful cross, O the wonderful cross
Bids me come and die and find that I may truly live
O the wonderful cross, O the wonderful cross
All who gather here by grace draw near and bless Your name

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What is most wonderful about the cross for you? What is most amazing about grace for you?

Holy Week Timeline 

Stephen Smith at Bible Gateway has put together a fascinating Holy Week Timeline Visualization. As he describes it:

“Here’s a new visualization we created that harmonizes the four Gospel accounts of Holy Week and lets you examine the ‘who,’ ‘what,’ and ‘where’ of events leading up to and through Easter.

Follow the lines in the chart to see at a glance what people were doing, where they were, and whom they were with at any point during the week. The horizontal axis shows time, and the vertical axis shows space. Proximity of the lines shows who interacted with whom. Constructed from a harmony of the Gospels, this chart is an interpretation; the timing of some events in the Holy Week narrative is open to debate.”

Click on the chart/image below to enlarge.

Bible Gateway is releasing the visualization under a Creative Commons license, which means that you should feel free to print copies (they recommend printing the PDF) and share them with people at your church.

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As you reflect on Holy Week, which person in the narrative are you most like in terms of your response to Jesus?