If you ever feel like “there has to be more to life than this” or “there’s nowhere to go but up”, you need to know: you are absolutely right. You feel that way because you are a living soul, created in the image of your Creator. You are special and have a purpose.
The pain, emptiness, disappointment, sickness, and death we experience are the result of sin: living differently than our created purpose. Instead of acknowledging our Creator and following Him, we try to be in charge and call our own shots. That doesn’t work out very well for us.
God, our Creator, loves us anyway. Like a good Father, He created and wants the best for us. He loves us even when we hurt Him and ourselves with sin. Because of His love and our sin, God sent His only Son Jesus to become human like us. When we read about Jesus’ life, we get to see how our lives are meant to be: full of grace and truth, of faith, hope, and love.
Unlike us, Jesus never sinned; but He died on the cross for sinners like us. He was buried. Everyone knew He was dead. Then on Sunday morning, He rose. Hundreds of people saw Him over forty days before He returned to Heaven. This truth has literally changed the world.
Through Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection, God solved the problem of sin and death. He loves you and wants you to share in that. Do you believe Jesus is God’s Son? Do you want to love God and have with Him a more abundant life that will last eternally? Follow Jesus.
Just like Jesus was crucified, crucify your old self. Give control of your life to Jesus. Just like Jesus was buried, be buried in baptism. The water isn’t special, but Jesus is. God in His grace will forgive us of our sins and give us a new life when we put our faith in Jesus by following Him. Then you will rise like Jesus did. Rise to a new life by the power of God’s Holy Spirit. Rise as a member of Jesus’ body, the church. Rise to be with Him in Heaven when this life ends.
On Sunday morning, just a decade shy of 2,000 years ago, Jesus rose from the dead. Today can be the day that you do, too.