Preach the Same Easter Message
Every year, churches around the world have some of their highest attended services on Easter Sunday. As pastors, we sometimes feel an urgency to not only preach our best sermon but also to break out all of our creative juices for this one sermon. But allow me to encourage you to preach the same Easter truth year after year after year. While you might have some nuanced differences in Scripture texts and even some different thematic focuses (like “The Hope of Easter” or “He is Risen Indeed”) you should always preach the same Easter truth on Easter. Here are two reasons why…
- The resurrection changed everything. Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 15:14 that if Jesus did not rise from the dead, we are all wasting our time. We see all kinds of miracles in Scripture. Miracles in the Old Testament point to the power of God over all false gods and display His glorious control over all created things. Miracles in the New Testament from Jesus Himself show His particular power over nature, the human body, and His sovereignty over life itself. With Jesus’ resurrection He not only came back to life but never died again demonstrating complete authority over death itself. His resurrection proves that we too can be given eternal life. This leads to our second reason to preach the same truth every Easter.
- The resurrection changes lives. Whatever you think is clever enough to grab the attention of guests or spark the fire with those prodigal church members, remember only the resurrection of Christ proves that the cross of Christ was sufficient for salvation! Let’s face it, you and I are not creative enough to find something better than Jesus Christ rising from the dead just as He promised. It is precisely this truth that provides people the opportunity to turn from their sin and trust in Him as Lord for their eternal salvation.
This Easter Sunday, may these truths be preached. Tell the old, old story again and again and again.
“Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.” 1 Corinthians 15:58
Author: Chad Hunsberger, Lead Pastor, Colonial Heights Baptist Church, Ridgeland MS
