The supernatural events of that first Easter morning declare to us the power of God.
The Grave Clothes Remained
Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went inside the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, and the cloth that was around His head, not lying with the linen cloths, but wrapped in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who came first to the tomb, went in also. He saw and believed. They didn’t find evidence of a hasty retreat or disturbance by humans, but the linens lying neatly and in order revealing the miracle of the resurrection (John 20:6-8).
The Power of the Resurrection
The miracles that occurred during the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ were not random. These miracles declare the supernatural significance of that first Easter and work together to make it clear that the death of Christ was not ordinary, but a sacrifice of immeasurable, eternal consequence. These miracles demonstrate that the crucifixion and the resurrection are two sides of the same coin, that death and resurrection must go together.
Why is that? Because, by His crucifixion, holy, sinless Jesus ransomed sinners—all who will come to Him—from the just wrath of God toward sin and evil. And by His resurrection, He has freed believers from the bondage of sin and the sting of death. Through His death, Jesus redeemed all those who would believe in Him from hell and eternal judgment. But through His resurrection, He assured them of their own eternal resurrection.
At the cross, Jesus became the victim of sin, but three days later, He became the victor over death and the grave. The crucifixion and the resurrection of Jesus Christ are inseparable. You cannot have one without the other. As you celebrate the resurrection this Easter, remember that God’s greatest miracle was not a one-time event. Christ is still alive, and He walks with us daily. His resurrection is the prelude of our own to come.
Prayer: Thank You, God, for the sacrifice of Your Son and for the power of the resurrection. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.
“For God has not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we should live together with Him” (1 Thess. 5:9-10).
Michael Youssef, Ph.D., is the founder and president of Leading the Way with Dr. Michael Youssef, a worldwide ministry that leads the way for people living in spiritual darkness to discover the light of Christ through the creative use of media and on-the-ground ministry teams. Youssef was born in Egypt.
This article originally appeared at ltw.org.
