As our world wobbles and our nation wanders from its founding principles, someone might wonder, “Is Easter even a relevant holiday anymore?” One might answer, “It can be relevant, and if you make it relevant it could literally change your life.” 

Easter is a big deal. The resurrection of Jesus not only happened but Jesus, himself, predicted that it would happen. No other religious leader even comes close to this kind of real-time proof of credibility. That is why Christianity has survived so much bigotry and opposition. Christians meet on the first day of the week to celebrate Christ’s victory over death, hell and the grave because it is more than a concept; it was a real, observable event. Such faith will change a person’s world view, thereby changing their whole world. Pastor and author, Tim Keller, explains the power of Jesus resurrection this way: “If Jesus rose from the dead, then you have to accept all that he said; if he didn’t rise from the dead, then why worry about any of what he said? The issue on which everything hangs is not whether or not you like his teaching but whether or not he rose from the dead.”

Belief in a God who is bigger than life, allows believers to enjoy a higher quality of life; it gives life meaning. Communication specialist Mecedes Schalpp expressed how her faith in the resurrection played out like this:

For my family, belief in God and in the resurrection of Jesus Christ brings such hope and promise to our lives. It strengthens our family and our marriage as we focus on Christ as our example of pure love, compassion and tolerance towards others. This positive message is one that helps us become better people each day. 

That is why Easter is such a big deal. It is a celebration of new life, renewal and eternal life. It is a message of hope that played out in human history. There is more evidence of Jesus resurrection than there is for many ancient tales, making it easier to believe than most any heroic tale. What may be harder to believe is that God would be good enough to invite us to join Him in that eternal life, even though He was the one who paid for it. For those who embrace His offer and learn to accept His love, the resurrection becomes a part of their lives. God makes it personal and it becomes the biggest deal to ever impact a person’s life.

So, as we begin to see signs of spring we might consider the words of Martin Luther: “Our Lord has written the promise of resurrection, not in books alone, but in every leaf in springtime.” Reach out to God this spring and see if He won’t help make Easter a big deal in your life; it could change your whole world.