Why do we celebrate Easter? Because the resurrection of Jesus is the bedrock of our hope, and “If Christ is not risen, our faith is futile and we of all people are most to be pitied.” (1 Corinthians 15:13-20)

In fact, Jesus has been raised; it was a real event that happened in the real world. This was not just a resuscitation; it was a resurrection to a new life. He still had his body, but it was changed. His resurrection body is not susceptible to death. In Jesus, God combined both his grace and his justice by pouring out the wrath we deserved on himself. He is the first fruits, which means that for those who know him and who he knows, we receive everything he does. Our bodies will be transformed as his was, and we will not be susceptible to death, either, when he returns.

What does this mean for us now, today? It means that we can stop putting together our resumes of righteousness as an atonement for our sin, and instead simply trust in Jesus, and experience the life-giving peace he offers us.