By: Dr. Ted Camp
(Founder of the Silent Word Ministries specializing in Deaf Ministry)
The True Meaning of
Easter - There are many
religions but only Christianity has a Risen Saviour. No other religion gives eternal hope for life after
death. Easter represents the death,
burial, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ died alone on the cross to
become the last sacrifice for sin.
There is a song, “He could have called ten thousand angels, but He
died alone for you and me.” On the
cross Jesus Christ alone became the final sacrifice for sin. God only had two options in dealing with
fallen humanity. He could let justice
prevail and just ignore mankind, or He could provide a sinless substitute to
pay the penalty for Adam’s sin (Deuteronomy 17:1) The only solution was
to send His beloved son as the Perfect God-Man, as the sinless sacrifice and
substitute for the sin of man (John 3:16).
Through Adam, all inherit the curse of sin. Through Jesus Christ, the curse of sin is removed (Romans
5:12-17). Jesus was the sacrifice for
sin and substitute for the sinner.
He alone was the Perfect Lamb of God to take away the sin of the
world (John 1:29). “So Christ was once
offered to bear the sins of many…” (Hebrews 9:28). As He died, He cried, “It is finished!” The last sacrifice for sin was
made. “There is no more offering
for sin” (Hebrews 10:18). Many
thousands of lambs were offered for past atonement of sin, but when Jesus
died, the sacrifices ceased. Jesus
Christ was the final sacrifice for our sin. In the tomb, He was the substitute for our death, and the
resurrection validated Him as the Risen Saviour. He then ascended to His rightful place in Heaven at the right
hand of God. He sat down and could say,
“The will of God has been done! It is finished!” Because of Easter, all can now be
saved. “For whosoever shall call upon
the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:13). Jesus alone paid the penalty for Adam’s sin (1 Corinthians
15:22). His sacrifice restored mankind
again to God.
The Sonrise Service – The Day “Him” became “It” and “It” became “Him”. Notice in the Gospels, before death,
Jesus was referred to as “Him”, they bound Him, led Him,
delivered Him, betrayed Him, examined Him, stripped Him,
clothed Him, saluted Him, smote Him, worshipped Him,
mocked Him, spit upon Him, smote Him, chastised Him,
scourged Him, unclothed Him, and crucified Him. Pilate said, “I will…chastise Him,
and release Him.” They led Him…to
crucify Him, followed Him, offered Him vinegar, gave Him
to drink, and finally crucified Him. Before
death, He was referred to as “Him.”
After death, His body was referred to as “It”. And when Joseph had taken the body, he
wrapped it in a clean linen cloth and laid it in his own new tomb” (Matthew
27:59-60). “Then took they the body of
Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes” (John 19:40). He “begged the body of Jesus.
And took it down, and wrapped it in linen and laid it in a sepulcher”
(Luke 23:52-53). After death,
His body was referred to as “It” not “Him”. But after the resurrection, “It” (His
body) became “Him” again! The
angel said, “He is risen; He is not here…tell Hid disciples and Peter that He
goeth before you into Galilee: there shall ye see Him (not “It”). “Tell his disciples and Peter that he
goeth…into Galilee: there ye shall see “Him” (Mark 16:7). On Friday, He died; “Him” became “It”. On Sunday, He arose; “It” became “Him” After His resurrection (pardon my grammar), “Him”
got back to “It” and “It” became “Him” again. If “Him” had not become “It”
and “It” had not become “Him”, our hope and faith would have been
in vain. “But if there be no
resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: And if Christ be not risen,
then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain…And if Christ be not
raised, your faith in vain; ye are yet in your sins” (1 Corinthians
15:13-17). No one is saved
without the resurrection. “That
if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine
heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved”
(Romans 10:9). The resurrection
validated and confirmed that Jesus Christ is the Risen Saviour, the Son of
God.
The resurrection was God’s “Amen”
to Christ saying, “It is finished!” Because
He lives, we also shall live! (1 Thessalonians 5:10).
Only Christianity has a
Risen Saviour! “Him” never became “It”
again.
He is Risen. He is Risen indeed!
"He is not here; for He is risen, as He said." (Matthew 28:6a)
