04/20/2025
Resurrection Day!
Dan Seaborn
Easter is a day of celebration for Christians. Itâs also called âResurrection Sundayâ because itâs the day we commemorate Jesusâ resurrection from the dead. If this isnât a story that is already familiar to you, then hereâs a little background: Christians believe that Jesus was fully human and fully divine, and He lived in the first century in the Middle East. He traveled in His region, where He performed miracles and taught about the Kingdom of God. Eventually the religious and political leaders worked together to have Him executed. The day of His death is commemorated as Good Friday in Christianity; it has that odd name because of what His death and resurrection accomplished on behalf of humanity.
As proof that He was who He claimed to be, God raised Jesus from the dead after three days in the grave. His death and resurrection make it possible for everyone to be reconciled to God. Thereâs a call and response that isnât as common in churches today as it was decades ago, but Iâll always remember it because it was my momâs favorite thing to say on Easter Sunday. The call is, âHe is risen!â and the response is, âHe is risen, indeed!â This is the core of the Christian message, which is why Easter Sunday is at the heart of Christianity. Itâs a reminder that death doesnât have the final word.
Whether you are a Christian who believes everything Iâve written in the past two paragraphs, or youâre somebody who doesnât really know where you stand, the idea of death not having the final word resonates deeply, doesnât it? For Christians, this is not only a literal belief about an eventual resurrection after our physical death. Itâs also a figurative resurrection that happens anywhere and everywhere. No matter how âdeadâ we are in a hard or hopeless situation, God can bring new life. No matter how âdeadâ we are in our sins and the patterns that drag us down, God can bring new life.
This is why we get so excited when we celebrate Easter Sunday! We donât just believe that Jesus was raised from the dead 2,000-some years ago; we also believe that God is in the business of bringing new life out of dead situations to this very day! That is the belief that sustains me during my hardest and darkest days. Itâs the belief that gives me hope when I donât see much to be hopeful about. I remember that God has brought newness and hope, even out of death. So, my situation is not as impossible or as hopeless as it may seem to be.
If youâre feeling stuck or hopeless right now, I hope youâll come to find what Christians have experienced over the centuries: That God is constantly at work bringing resurrection and hope out of dead and hopeless situations. And if youâre in one of those hopeless situations right now, I hope you know that youâre not alone in your pain and heartache. If you need some help working through something tough, the counselors and coaches at Winning At Home are trained to help people work through hard things. Iâd also encourage you to find a local church where you can get connected to other people who have experienced resurrection and rebirth in their lives and who can share about how God brought hope and life into the dead places in their lives. Because thatâs what He does!
