Jesus Easter

Jesus Easter: Historical Context
The phrase Jesus Easter is a common term in many cultures. Easter is a holiday celebrated by many cultures around the world today. Jesus Christ is the central figure in this Christian holiday. Its focus is on celebrating Jesus’ resurrection (return) from the dead. Various Christian cultures celebrate this holiday anywhere between March 22 and May 8. The phrase Jesus Easter is sometimes used around this holiday by observers. To better understand the phrase Jesus Easter, let’s consider the historical context for the resurrection of Jesus and its significance to the Christian faith.

Jesus Easter: Historical Context
The phrase Jesus Easter hinges upon the belief that some two thousand years ago Jesus Christ resurrected or returned from the dead. The importance of the resurrection of Jesus is best understood within the context of his claims. During his lifetime Jesus made some remarkable claims about himself. He declared that he was the Christ, Messiah, or God’s chosen savior. Furthermore, he said he was God in human flesh. He declared that he had come into the world to give his life to save people from their sins or mistakes. These claims were regarded as heretical and blasphemous by the religious leaders in his culture. They wanted him killed for his claims. It was only a matter of time before they fulfilled their mission – and the phrase Jesus Easter would develop its meaning and significance.

Jesus is reported to have backed up his claims of being God in human flesh with a remarkable series of miracles. He restored sight to the blind. He fed thousands of people with a handful of food. He healed many diseased with leprosy and other debilitating ailments. He gave hearing to the deaf. He walked on water and commanded winds and storms to cease and they obeyed.

Despite this evidence, the religious leaders of his day brought an assortment of false charges against him. They brought him to trial before the courts of the Roman government who were ruling their country. Their false witnesses and political maneuvering prevailed. Jesus was handed over to the Roman government for punishment and execution by means of crucifixion. This cruel means of corporal punishment was invented by the reigning Roman government as a means of instilling fear in the hearts of its conquered territories.

The key event behind Jesus Easter was now only days away. It was on a Friday that Jesus was nailed to a wooden cross. By that same evening, his body hung lifelessly to it. That evening his deceased body was removed from the cross and placed into a tomb. Because Jesus had predicted that he would return from the dead, Roman solders were stationed to guard Jesus’ body in the tomb. Nonetheless, three days following his death and burial, his disciples found his tomb empty.

Celebrating this event is the essence of Jesus Easter. Jesus Christ was seen by 500 people during one of several appearances in the 40 days that followed his reported resurrection. Jesus had done what no other person had ever managed to do. After being dead and buried for 3 days, he conquered death and returned to life. After 40 days of appearances with his followers watching on, Jesus ascended into the clouds.

Jesus Easter: The Significance
Jesus Easter is a holiday where Christians or followers of Jesus recognize, contemplate and celebrate his resurrection. The reason his resurrection has such significance to his followers is because he claimed to be God in human flesh for the purpose of giving up his life to save the world from its broken relationship with God. Jesus taught that because we have each sinned (done wrong things), our relationship with God was broken. He said that we couldn’t be restored back into relationship with God unless our sins were paid for. God declared that we were helpless to save ourselves from our predicament. Jesus taught that our only solution was for God to become one of us, live a perfect life, and then pay for our sins through his own death.

This is the reason Jesus said he came into the world and why he needed to die. What’s more, this is also why his resurrection was so essential. If Jesus was who he claimed to be. If he did what he said he came to do, he needed to do what no other human being had ever done to prove these claims.

Jesus Easter is important to us today because without it his claims would carry little weight. Had it not been for Jesus’ resurrection, we might conclude that he was nothing more than a trickster and con artist. Yet, Jesus’ resurrection put him in a category all by himself. Jesus claimed to be God in human flesh come to save the world through his life and death. Following his burial, he did what no one else had ever done or has since. His followers testified and most of them gave their lives defending the belief that Jesus overcame the power of death and returned from the dead.

It should be noted that Easter is a controversial holiday among some Christians. The reason for this controversy is that the Easter holiday originally had its roots in a pagan celebration. Because of this fact, many Christians in various cultures around the world do not celebrate it today.

Jesus Easter: Personal Application Jesus Easter is all about the followers of Jesus gathering to celebrate the historical event of him resurrecting from the dead. If his resurrection is true, it means that Jesus is who he claimed to be (God in human flesh). It also means that he accomplished what he claimed to have come to do. That, Jesus came to save us all from our mistakes and make a way for us to choose to return to God and spend eternity with him.

Believing in the claims of Jesus and celebrating Jesus Easter comes down to a matter of faith for each person. Do you believe that he was God in human flesh? Do you believe that he gave his life for you? Do you believe that he died, was buried and arose from the dead? Jesus’ resurrection and his power are available to anyone who honestly says yes to these questions and puts their trust in him for salvation. If you are willing to put your faith in him and his claims, he extends his resurrection power to you so that you too can overcome death and experience eternal life with him in heaven. This is why Jesus Easter is so significant to the Christian faith.

We’ve developed this website to supply you with all the information you need to better understand the person of Jesus and his claims. The more you understand about the person of Jesus, the clearer it will become why Jesus Easter is so important to Christians around the world.

Jesus Easter: Key References to Explore

1. John 20 – Jesus’ resurrection and appearances
2. Matthew 28 – Key events of Jesus’ resurrection
3. Romans 6:1-14 – How followers of Jesus share in his death and resurrection
4. 1 Corinthians 15 – The importance of Jesus’ resurrection and how that affects our lives after death

Jesus Easter: Launching Points

1. Meaning of Easter
2. What happened on Easter?
3. Define resurrection
4. What does resurrection mean
5. Other resurrection topics