5 Ways Easter Inspires Us to Serve a Risen Lord
- Mel Walker Contributing Writer
- Published Mar 18, 2020
The Bible describes in detail how the disciples witnessed the brutal suffering and crucifixion death of their teacher and friend, Jesus. It tells us that an acquaintance offered a new tomb to bury Him. Then, in a way, the disciples hunkered down, not knowing exactly what would happen next.
The wait must have been excruciating for them.
Early the next week, women went to the tomb expecting to use the spices and perfumes they had prepared. They were startled by what they saw. The huge stone that sealed the tomb had been moved—the body of Jesus was gone!
Just then an angel appeared and made the proclamation which was about to change their lives forever.
“He is not here, He is risen!” (Luke 24:6)
Jesus had prophesied this would happen. But, in the terror and panic surrounding the arrest, beating, and the crucifixion of Jesus, it didn’t cross their minds that Jesus would actually rise from the dead. But, He did. And that changed , forever! (Matthew 28:1-10.)
The Easter story, the truth of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, is something that has affected the lives of the followers of Christ for generations. Not only were the lives of Christ’s earthly followers changed—the lives of all believers in Christ forever were impacted.
This one statement literally changed everything for the followers of Christ. And this same statement: “He is risen!” continues to encourage and motivate all believers to actively serve today.
Here are five ways Easter inspires us to serve our risen Lord:
1. We Can Be Sure of His Eternal Presence
Christ’s last words to His disciples contained the assuring promise of His continuing presence with them as they sought to fulfill His Great Commission, “…I am with you always, even to end of the age.”
Knowing that the resurrected Christ was returning physically to glory in Heaven, but that He would constantly be with them throughout their lives was incredibly comforting and motivating to them.
The assurance that the Lord is with His followers today continues to be a great source of inspiration.
2. We Know Jesus Secured Victory Over Death
In the Apostle Peter’s sermon to the crowd in Jerusalem following Pentecost, he made an amazing statement of triumph and victory. In Acts 2:14-39, he told the people of Israel that Jesus’ resurrection had defeated “the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it” (Acts 2:24).
His declaration of Christ’s victory over death, the grave, and sin buoyed the spirits of the people, and the Lord used that one message to change the lives of thousands of people (see Acts 2:41).
Christ’s resurrection also gave His followers that victory over death and Hell. That’s why the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ (His death, burial, and resurrection, see 1 Corinthians 15:1-19) is the motivating influence for believers’ faith in Christ (1 Cor. 15:17) and for the proclamation of that faith (1 Cor. 15:14).
3. We Can Boldly Serve, without Timidity
The Easter message that Jesus had risen from the dead gave the disciples a renewed sense of confidence and boldness in serving their Lord. The very same men who had displayed cowardice and timidity around the time of Jesus’ arrest and trial before Pilot and the High Priest (see John 18), were greatly used by God to help launch His church as told to us in the book of Acts (see Acts 4:13 and 33).
The fact of the resurrection of Jesus is a certain and sure confidence boost for all believers today as well.
4. We Can Anticipate that Serving a Risen Savior Brings Joy
Matthew 28:8 reports that after the women went to Christ’s tomb that morning, and after they heard the angel’s proclamation that, “He is risen,” they excitedly and hurriedly went back to tell the disciples with “great joy.”
Their emotional roller coaster ended on a huge high. The sadness and despair they felt during and after the death and burial of Jesus was replaced by remarkable excitement. This joy was soon to be transferred to Peter and the other disciples when the Lord Himself appeared to them following His resurrection.
The fact that Christ-followers both then and today can have great joy in serving the risen Savior is also a significant inspiration.
5. We Remain in Community in the Work of Christ Today
The book of Acts begins with the assertion of Christ’s resurrection evidenced by the fact that He had “presented Himself alive… by many infallible proofs” (see Acts 1:3). This pivotal New Testament book continues to set the stage for the beginning of the church by giving an overview of what Christ left His followers on earth to do, “…you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (see Acts 1:8).
His followers understood that they were about to be an integral part of something big—the global and eternal work of Christ in the world before His “Second Coming” (see Acts 1:11).
Being a part of something that big was indeed an inspiration to these simple followers of Christ. The disciples of Christ were about to become involved in what God has been doing in the world ever since. They were leaders in the church—the work of Christ which was soon to become a worldwide community of believers.
Followers of Christ today can be inspired by that involvement as well. We are involved in the work of Christ in the world today.
The familiar opening words to the old Easter song, “I Serve a Risen Savior,” serve as a great source of encouragement during the Easter season, “I serve a risen savior, He’s in the world today…” The statement made by the angel so many years ago is still absolutely true today, and it provides inspiration for Christ-followers to serve Him ever since.
“He is risen!”
Photo Credit: ©Unsplash/Ian Stauffer
