Alive in Christ! – Because He Lives, We Can!

Come Alive! A Celebration of Easter!

“For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection …. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him” (Romans 6:5, 8).

The “good news” of the Gospel is not the death of Christ, but rather the empty tomb! If our last knowledge of Jesus was on the cross or in a sealed sepulcher we would have no joy in this memorial. Our memories would be placed in the past with no continuing chronicle of redemption. Our tears would be for the tragedy of His terminated life, mourning the loss of a young teacher of righteousness, a prophet of promise, a rabbi who died before his time.

Concerning the impact of a dead Messiah, Paul said, “And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty…. And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins!” (1 Corinthians 15:14, 17). If Jesus had not risen from the dead we would have no message, no Easter, no hope! There would have been no reason to rejoice and no occasion for celebration. We would still be mourning the loss and living in despair.

Because of an empty tomb and the discarded cross, today we rejoice. The cross was not the end of the road, but the bridge to life. Crucifixion was not the tragedy of termination, but the sacrifice of atonement. Jesus did not suffer humiliation and death with no purpose but for the redemption of mankind and the salvation of all who believe. He died for our sins so that He could rise victorious over, death, hell, and the grave! He lives so that we also may live again!

When we are identified with Him in baptism we symbolize His burial. Paul said, “We were buried with Him through baptism into death” (Romans 6:4). When we rise from the water we are to receive His life and power through the Holy Spirit. “For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection” (Romans 6:5).

Come Alive! Celebrate His life through your new life! Why go through life experiencing death when Jesus gives a promise of life! “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly” (John 10:10). This Easter season, Come Alive!