I was looking for a good quote to post today in celebration of Easter. And I found the manuscript to a message I preached about five years ago, entitled, “Why the Resurrestion Matters.” It was a part of a four-message series on the life, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus that I called, “Why Jesus Matters.” What follows are the opening paragraphs of the resurrection message:

Let me begin this sermon by telling you the most important and intimate things I can tell you about myself: I am, unabashedly, a fully devoted follower of Jesus Christ. I wake up every morning with the assurance that my sins are forgiven, my needs are met, and my death is not final. My life has meaning, fulfillment, and abiding joy. I am committed to the Church of Jesus Christ, no matter how ugly she may act at times. As a Christian pastor-teacher, I have the best and most noble job anybody could every have. I am not stuck in the past, preoccupied with my present circumstances, or worried about the future. The world makes sense to me.

And here’s why: I am sure that Jesus Christ is alive, well, and at work in the world right now. That is, I believe that the Lord Jesus Christ is the one true God. And I base that conviction on the verifiable fact and historical truth that Jesus actually and physically rose from the dead. I agree with John Irving: “Anyone can be sentimental about the Nativity; any fool can feel like a Christian at Christmas. But Easter is the main event; if you don’t believe in the resurrection, you’re not a believer.”

Amen.

Happy Easter. Celebrate Jesus today!