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Easter : The Facts & the Significance
by Reverend Murray Spackman
Sunday 23rd March, 2008

Every event which affects peoples lives can be looked at from two angles - Firstly there are the Facts, and then secondly, there is the significance, or meaning behind those facts.

Take for example, the Terrorist attack of September 11. The Facts of September 11^th were that some aircraft were commandeered by terrorists, all of the aircraft crashed, and a tragic loss of life followed.

But the Significance of those actions are still being considered today. Why did terrorists do what they did?  Why were there terrorists in America? Why was America attacked with such loss of life? There are many different views about the meaning of those events. Some would say that it was because America was bullying the world; that its military expansionism needed to be challenged; others that America represented all that was wrong with the western world, its capitalism and rampant immorality. Others saw this as a challenge of militant and fundamental Islam to Christianity. Whatever the truth of these interpretations, it is quite clear that for almost any and every event, both the facts, and the significance need to be thought through. And the same is true with the Easter Message. Here we have both Facts, and Meaning.

The Facts of the Easter Story are quite simple: Jesus Died by crucifixion; he was buried in a borrowed tomb and on the third day, when friends- some women, and also two of the disciples of Jesus - went to the tomb to attend to his body. Apart from the grave-cloths, the tomb was empty!

 There are also the eyewitness accounts that Jesus, who had been dead, appeared alive to the disciples – both on that day – and on many other occasions during the following 40 days. So much for the Facts of the first Easter Day – but what is the Meaning, the Significance of those facts? – What does it mean?. What difference does it make if Jesus is alive, and no longer dead and buried in some tomb in Jerusalem. 

Well, this morning I would like to focus on just THREE things that the Resurrection means.

1. Firstly: The fact that Jesus is alive means that through Jesus, God has overcome Sin. When the angel announced to Joseph the birth of Jesus, he was told that he was to name him Jesus – “ for he will save his people from their sins”. Jesus himself, later said, “The Son of Man came to give his life to redeem many people” When Jesus was raised from the dead, it was the sign to us all that our sin had been dealt with on the Cross. The barrier, the wall of sin that existed between God and humanity was broken down, and our relationship with God has now been restored. Since our sins are now forgiven we can live in right relationship with God. God is not an enemy, a tyrant, someone bent on our destruction – but is a friend and loving Father. We have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ, says the Bible. Our sin has been dealt with

2. The Second  meaning of the resurrection is that Jesus has conquered death- and this follows on from his triumph over sin. Because sin has been dealt with , death, no longer holds any power! As long as there was sin, blocking our relationship with God, death had the last word. But when Jesus dealt with Sin – death also- in the sense of being a permanent separation from God – was dealt with. So the chains of death are broken! This means that we can enjoy, and look forward to heaven, and to life eternal in the greater presence of God.  Jesus said  “I am the resurrection and the life, he who believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and whoever lives, and believes in me, shall never die.” We live and die, but Christ died and Lives! – and because He lives, we will live also. 

3. Thirdly, the resurrection of Jesus means he is Alive Today! Jesus didn’t just come back to life, pushed his way out of the tomb, wander around Jerusalem for a few more years and then eventually died of old age!  There is no record of Jesus’ physical body ever being discovered anywhere else – and there never will be!  Jesus’ physical body was transformed  -that’s why we call it ‘resurrected’ – changed – and in  that resurrected body the gospels tell us that Jesus appeared, for 40 days, to many of the disciples – in broad daylight, and then after 50 days, he was physically taken up into heaven. Jesus is alive, and continues his life in heaven.  He has since sent his Spirit, His presence, to be with us – So he is with us in person.  Jesus is alive Today is what Easter means. When Jesus said  “I will be with you always” –we know we can depend on that – because He is alive! Regardless of where we are, how we feel, what happens to us – Jesus will be with us. Regardless of what life brings our way – in all the circumstances of life – we know that we can look to Jesus to be with us.

But in the end – no matter what facts we may be presented with, we each must decide whether to believe them or not.  Our faith is based on facts – and that’s a solid foundation we can trust. And having those facts, I feel confident to believe.  So I choose to believe that Jesus Christ is alive -  That he is here with us in our worship this morning; that he is with us as we return home , and as we go to our work , or our school, in this week. Let us then celebrate that.

Christ is risen – He is Risen indeed!