1 Peter 1:3-4: What Is Easter All About?

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you. . ." 1 Peter 1:3-4

"Come behold the wondrous mystery, slain by death, the God of life, but no grave could e'er restrain Him. Praise the Lord! He is alive!" What marvelous and wonderful lyrics we get to sing on a day like today. Yet, let us realize that because of today, we can sing lyrics like these every day. For Jesus is risen! He is risen indeed! But what does that mean for me and you?

Before we speak of Easter, we must speak of Good Friday. For the Lord's resurrection would not be possible apart from his death. On the fateful day of Good Friday around 2,000 years ago, the Christ was slain for the sins of mankind. The God-man, both fully God and fully man, was put to death by the very people whom He had created. And although we could argue whether the Jews put Him to death or the Romans put Him to death, let us conclude that ultimately, God killed His Son. "For it was the will of the Lord to crush him" (Is. 53:10). Why? Not because of anything besides His covenantal love for his children. "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him might not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16).

But the story does not stop there. Although the Son of God was whipped, beaten, slain, mocked, betrayed, crucified, and buried. . .on the third day, He rose again. The sins of mankind which He hath died for would not have dominion over him. From Genesis 3, every man has died. Yet there was One who would overcome the curse of death, and He would pass on this life to his children: "For if, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ" (Rom. 5:17).

So what is Easter all about? It's all about the resurrection of the Lord, which leads to a marvelous and living hope beyond the grave for the children of God. The resurrection shows God's children that no fear of this world, no temptation of the flesh, no trial, no broken heart, no coronavirus, and no sin can take away the hope that we have in Jesus Christ. For our salvation is guarded by God the Father and bought by Christ the son (1 Peter 1:3-4). This brings hope, and hope forevermore.

But lest I speak heresy, let me conclude by saying the following: this is a great story, but it may not be true for you. The great and marvelous story above which we call the Gospel is only true for those who have "repented and believed in the Gospel" (Mark 1:15). For those who have called upon the Lord their God, relying upon Him for their acceptance rather than their own merit, God has granted salvation (Rom. 10:13). However, those who have not done so are still under the wrath of God because of their sin (Eph. 2:3). Let me encourage you today, dear reader: There are two ways to pay for the debt that your sin has bought you: either Christ can pay it on the cross, or you can pay it forever in eternal hell, apart from the presence of God. Surely the former is infinitely better than the latter. And the good news for you today is that Jesus freely offers this gift of salvation for anyone who repents and believes. "All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out" (John 6:37). I cannot make the decision for you to follow Christ, nor can your father or your mother or your brother or your friend, but you can. The choice lies in your hands: will you embrace the promise of Easter, that if you repent (that is, completely turn away from) your sins, the Lord will grant to you eternal salvation, or will you live another day under the wrath of God? Let me encourage you to repent today, for in just a little while, it will be too late.

"What a foretaste of deliverance, how unwavering our hope. Christ in power, resurrected, as we will be when he comes." We rejoice today because we have a living hope--a hope that continues beyond the grave. As Christians, we put not hope in our bank accounts, in our friends, in our spouses, in our jobs, or in our circumstances, but "fully on the grace that will be brought to [us] at the revelation of Jesus Christ" (1 Peter 1:13). Because of His resurrection, we can have this living hope: that Christ will come again, and take all of those who have repented and believed unto Himself, to reign with Him forevermore.

"But God will ransom my soul from the power

of Sheol, for he will receive me." Psalm 49:15

*Song lyrics from Come Behold the Wondrous Mystery, Matt Boswell