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“He was handed over to die because of our sins, and he was raised to life to make us right with God” (Romans 4:25, NLT)
Easter matters because it’s God’s way of saying, “What Jesus did worked—and it’s for you.” In Romans 4:25, you get the whole heart of Easter.
Paul is wrapping up a long argument about how people get right with God, and he uses Abraham as the example. Abraham wasn’t accepted by God because he was impressive; he believed God, and God counted that faith as righteousness. Then Paul says this isn’t just about Abraham—“It will be credited to us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead” (Romans 4:23-24).
That leads straight into Romans 4:25. Jesus was “delivered up” to death because of our sins—God handed Him over to bear the weight and penalty of all that’s broken in us. Then He was “raised for our justification,” which means the resurrection is God’s public announcement that Jesus’ sacrifice was enough and that those who trust Him are declared right with God.
If you’re already a follower of Jesus, Easter is not just a nice yearly reminder; it’s the foundation under your feet every day.
1. It tells you that your forgiveness is real.
The cross shows the cost of sin, but the empty tomb shows the bill is fully paid. God raising Jesus is like stamping “PAID IN FULL” over your life; you don’t have to keep wondering if you’ve done enough or felt sorry enough.
2. It tells you your status is settled.
Justification isn’t God saying, “I’ll let you off this time.” It’s God declaring you righteous in Christ, treating you as if Jesus’ record were yours. The resurrection is the proof that God has already made that verdict for everyone who believes.
3. It gives you power to live a new life.
The New Testament keeps tying our daily obedience to the risen life of Jesus—because He lives, we can (are able to) walk in newness of life. You’re not just forgiven and stuck; you’re united to a living Lord whose resurrection power is at work in you by His Spirit.
4. It anchors your hope beyond death.
Easter says death doesn’t get the final word over Jesus or over you. Yes, you will go to the grave one day, but His resurrection is the down payment on your own future resurrection and the renewal of all things. When you stand at a grave site, this isn’t theory; it’s the only hope big enough to carry the weight of that moment.
If you don’t follow Jesus, Easter fundamentally has everything to do with you, because it forces a question you can’t dodge forever.
1. It confronts you with a truth claim, not just a tradition.
True Easter isn’t about eggs, food-frenzied weekends, or generic “hope.” It’s about a concrete claim: a real man, Jesus of Nazareth, was dead and then was raised from the dead. As David Platt puts it, the core Easter question is, “Did Jesus rise from the dead?” That’s not a matter of personal taste; it’s either true or false, and if it’s true, it affects every person on earth.
2. It exposes the seriousness of sin.
Romans 4:25 says Jesus was delivered over “for our trespasses”—for our crossing over of a line, our rejection of God. If dealing with sin took the death of the Son of God, then sin isn’t just “mistakes” or “imperfections”; it’s a deep rupture in our relationship with the God who made us.
3. It offers you a way back you can never earn.
The message of Romans 4, then, is that God justifies the ungodly through faith, not through them finally cleaning themselves up. Easter means the work is already finished. The question is not “Can you be good enough?” but “Will you trust the One who lived, died, and rose for you?”
4. It places a decision in front of you.
If Jesus didn’t rise, Christians are wasting their lives and you can safely ignore all of this. But if He did, then He is Lord, and thus, your indifference is still rejection. The same resurrection that shouts “justified” over believers also warns that there really will be a day when God sets everything right through this risen Christ.
So why does Easter matter? For the follower of Jesus, Easter is the heartbeat of your faith and the engine of your daily life. For the unbeliever, Easter is God’s wake-up call, inviting you to wrestle honestly with the risen Jesus and the new life He holds out to you.
If you want to hear more about the true Easter, please join us at King of Kings Fellowship this Sunday morning at 10 am for a clear and important discussion about the resurrection of Jesus Christ.