Easter is a tradition in the Christian world where we celebrate the resurrection of Christ. But often we glaze over the fact that Jesus died first. In this clip from an Easter sermon at Third Baptist Church in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, Senior Vice President of Theology and Communications for Lifeway, Trevin Wax, reminds us not to make light knowing that Jesus died and to take a moment to let the weight of that fact hang over us.
The entire video is above, and the complete transcript is below.
“Christ died for our sins.”, Paul said. And for just a moment we must let the weight those words hang over us.
With His dying breaths, Jesus spoke of forgiveness, finality, and faith, but now the breathing has ceased.
The lungs that exhaled forgiveness are deflated. “Christ died.”, Paul says.
The eyes that looked at the crowds with compassion are closed.
The arms that reached out to the unworthy are lifeless.
The hands that touched the leper are driven through with spikes.
The ears the heard the cries of blind men are deaf.
The lips that told news of a kingdom are still.
The voice that calmed the seas is silent.
The feet that walked on water are stopped.
The heart that bled for sinful humanity no longer beats.
The Bread from Heaven broken on earth.
The Light of the world in the shadow of death.
The Vine that bears fruit withered and fallen.
The Gateway to God now sealed in a tomb.
The Shepherd of souls struck down by the sheep.
The Resurrection and Life, a crucified corpse.
Christ died.
He walked into the valley of the shadow of death and disappeared into the darkness.
Friday, “He was buried”, Paul says. Saturday, the shadowy depths of darkness linger over the world on that terrible weekend of sorrow.
But then, but then, early in the first stirrings of the morning on Sunday the sun begins to rise, the shadows are put on notice. The world that trembled in the face of death now watches death begin to tremble in the face of new life. Something never before seen in all of human history.
And just as Paul says that “Christ died for our sins,” now he says, “that Jesus was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.”
And suddenly life emerges out of that grave.
And with lungs full of air He breaths on His disciples and grants His spirit.
The eyes that saw the darkness of death now drink in the sunlight of Easter.
The arms that hung from a cross of wood now embrace a world of grief.
The hands that bear the scars of love now lift the head of doubters.
The ears that were deafened by death are now filled with the joy of God’s people.
The lips that had cried out, “It is finished!” now promise, “I make all things new.”
The voice that lay silent in the grave now sings the song of life.
The feet that were wrapped in grave clothes now stroll the shores of Galilee again.
The heart that bled for sinfulness now beats again in righteousness.
The Bread from Heaven, a feast for the earth.
The Light of the world chasing away the shadows.
The Vine that bears fruit blooming in full.
The Gateway to God thrown open and ready.
The Shepherd of souls raised in life abundant.
The Resurrection and the Life returned, never to taste death again.
Don’t water down the glory of Easter morning.
