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Introduction

Easter is the festival for celebrating Jesus' resurrection. Why do we consider Jesus' resurrection to be so important? Let us see.

1. Resurrection is the foundation of our faith v. 1 Corinthians 15:14-15

"And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised."

"Then the chief priests had met with the elders and devised a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money, telling them, "You are to say, 'His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep.' If this report gets to the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble." So the soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story has been widely circulated among the Jews to this very day." Matthew 28:11-15

Many people attempted to prove that resurrection of Jesus Christ is a hoax. Paul warned the early church to be aware of false teachers who taught that resurrection did not take place and there will be no resurrection of Christians also. Christianity could have end up being just another religion if God did not resurrect Jesus. Resurrection is the foundation of Christianity.

2. Our authority is completed in His resurrection v. Ephesians 1:20-21

"which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come."

We all believe in the authority of the name called "Jesus". Demons tremble upon hearing Jesus' name. There's authority in the name because Jesus is alive and He is not dead. And since He was resurrected we become co hairs of this authority. It is written,

"And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus" Ephesus 2:6.

3. Our salvation is perfected in resurrection only v. 1 Corinthians 15:51-57

Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed—in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory." "Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?" The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

When Jesus was resurrected He was clothed with a glorified body. Sickness, death and sin has no control over a body resurrected by God. Even Lazarus came back from the death. But that was not real resurrection because He was raised back to the same perishable, week and corrupted body. In which he aged and died later. But Jesus was raised to a brand new, incorruptible, imperishable, strong second life and a glorified body. This is why Jesus is eternal.

"He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification."Jesus' dissension to this world was only the first step of a long process planned for our salvation. His suffering was the second step in the redemption plan. But the process will be incomplete without the resurrection which is the final step of the process.

The body is essential to the total human personality; humans are incomplete without a body. Thus the redemption Christ offers applies to the whole person, including the body.

Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. (Romans 8:23)

We are going to recognize each other in heaven as we are going to have our same bodily form which we had while living on earth.

Death the ultimate enemy of human kind and the penalty of sin is defeated at the resurrection.

4. Resurrection is the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy v. Psalms 16:10

"because you will not abandon me to the grave,nor will you let your Holy One see decay."

This is a prophecy given by King David about Jesus' death and His resurrection. God had planned Jesus' birth, death and resurrection long before He created the earth. God in His wisdom foresaw man's fall and the need to defeat the sting of death. Easter is the celebration of a loving God who died for our sins and yet rose back to life, so that we will be resurrected one day.

Summary and conclusion

Christmas is the main festival in modern Christianity and it's not wrong. But Jesus' birth and death would have been in vain if His resurrection did not take place. His mission would have been incomplete without Him being glorified before His Father, and we would never have a complete and a perfect salvation. His resurrection is the,

• Foundation of our faith
• The perfection of our salvation
• The perfection of the authority that God gave us