Why Is Easter So Important?

⁹ What we do see is Jesus, who was given a position “a little lower than the angels”; and because He suffered death for us, He is now “crowned with glory and honor.” Yes, by God’s grace, Jesus tasted death for everyone. ¹⁰ God, for whom and through whom everything was made, chose to bring many children into glory. And it was only right that He should make Jesus, through His suffering, a perfect Leader, fit to bring them into their salvation. ¹¹ So now Jesus and the ones He makes holy (sanctified) have the same Father. That is why Jesus is not ashamed to call them His brothers and sisters. ¹² For He said to God, “I will proclaim Your Name to My brothers and sisters. I will praise You among Your assembled people.” … ¹⁷ Therefore, it was necessary for Him (Jesus) to be made in every respect like us, His brothers and sisters, so that He could be our merciful and faithful High Priest before God. Then He could offer a sacrifice that would take away the sins of the people. ¹⁸ Since He Himself has gone through suffering and testing, He is able to help us when we are being tested. Hebrews 2:9-12, 17-18 (NLT)

The unknown author of Hebrews warns and instructs everyone to listen very carefully to the truths we have heard from the living God about His Son Jesus, or we may drift away into eternal punishment (Hebrews 2:1; see also 1 John 2:5). The living God sent His holy angels, as messengers from God, to give His moral commands to Moses at Mount Sinai – the Mosaic Law (Hebrews 2:2; see also Deuteronomy 33:2; Psalm 68:17; Acts 7:38; Galatians 3:19). Sadly, people continually disobeyed and rebelled against the living God’s moral commands which led to God’s justice, punishment, and wrath (Hebrews 2:2; see also John 7:19; Acts 7:53).

Now, the living LORD God has given everyone a GREATER truth about His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, and that greater truth is the Gospel (Good News) message. This is the GREATER truth: the living LORD God freely gives ALL PEOPLE salvation and reconciliation to Him through faith and obedience to His Son Jesus Christ’s teaching, sacrificial death, and miraculous resurrection (Hebrews 2:3; e.g., see also John 1:29; Luke 19:10; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4; 1 Timothy 1:15; Hebrews 10:26-29). The living LORD God and His Son Jesus have confirmed the great Gospel message of salvation through signs, wonders, and various miracles as well as through the Holy Spirit’s power (Hebrews 2:4; see also John 3:2; Acts 2:22; Acts 10:38; Romans 1:16-17). The disciples who were eyewitnesses of Jesus’ ministry and obeyed His teaching passed the Gospel message to others (Hebrews 2:3-4; see also Acts 1:21-22; 2 Peter 1:16; 1 John 1:1). The disciples’ Gospel message about Jesus was authenticated and confirmed by God’s power in their lives through amazing signs, wonders, miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit (Hebrews 2:3-4; e.g., see also, Acts 2:43; Acts 3:6-7, 11-12, 16; Acts 5:12-16; Acts 9:31-42; Acts 14:3, 8-10; Acts 19:11-12; Acts 28:7-10).

The living LORD God loves ALL people, even above His holy angels (Hebrews 2:5-6; see also Deuteronomy 33:3; Psalm 8:4-6; Luke 12:6-7; John 3:16). From the beginning of human history, the LORD God’s purpose was that the humans He created in His image would have dominion and control in His world, subject only to His Kingship (Hebrews 2:7-8; see also Genesis 1:26-28; Psalm 8:6-8). Sadly, the first humans Adam and Eve failed to receive God’s dominion and control because of their sin, rebellion, and disobedience against the living God and caused all humanity to fall into sin – the Great Fall (e.g., see Genesis 3:1-7). In the coming future world - Utopia, God’s righteous and redeemed people will control His world, and His Son Jesus will be their Captain and Leader (Hebrews 2:5, 10; see also Isaiah 65:17; Isaiah 66:22; 2 Peter 3:13; Revelation 21:1-4).

The LORD God showed how much He loved us by sending His one and only Son into the world on a rescue mission to take away ALL humanities’ sins (e.g., see Luke 1:78; Luke 2:10-11; John 3:16-17; Romans 8:38-39; 1 John 4:9-10; 1 John 2:2; Romans 3:25). Approximately 2,000 years ago, God visited earth when the living LORD God made His Son Jesus Christ temporarily lower than the angels and made Jesus human — the God-Man (Hebrews 2:7, 9, 14, 16-17; see also John 1:1-2, 14; Luke 1:29-33, 35; Romans 1:3; Galatians 4:4; Philippians 2:7-8; 1 Timothy 3:16; 1 John 4:2). The Father of Jesus graciously sent His Son Jesus as a Jew – the “Seed of Abraham” – with human flesh and blood to become a living and final sacrifice to take away the sins of the world (Hebrews 2:14, 16-17; see also John 1:29; John 4:22; Romans 3:25; Romans 8:32; 2 Corinthians 5:19; Philippians 2:6-8; 1 John 4:10, 14). The Lord Jesus Christ’s coming to earth and living as a human is known as the Incarnation (e.g., see Matthew 1:21, 23). With the Incarnation, the living LORD God was in His Son Jesus reconciling and merging the world to Himself (e.g., see 2 Corinthians 5:19). In the order of creation, humans are made lower than angels, and the Lord Jesus Christ took this lower place temporarily during the Incarnation (see Hebrews 2:9).

In His humanity, the Lord Jesus experienced all the same emotions, pains, hardships, and temptations of humans (e.g., see John 4:6-8). During His earthly ministry, Jesus experienced fatigue and weariness (e.g., see Matthew 8:24; John 4:6); hunger and thirst (e.g., see Matthew 4:2; Matthew 21:18; John 19:28); joy and sorrow (e.g., see Matthew 26:37; John 15:11); compassion and love (e.g., see Matthew 9:36; John 11:5); and righteous anger (e.g., see Mark 3:5). Yet, the Lord Jesus Christ NEVER sinned against the living God nor disobeyed His Father’s righteous commands (Hebrews 2:18; see also 2 Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 4:15; Hebrews 7:26; 1 Peter 2:22).

Biblical scholars refer to the Lord Jesus Christ’s sacrificial death for all humanities’ sin as an “atonement,” “propitiation,” or “expiation” (Hebrews 2:17; see also Romans 3:25; 2 Corinthians 5:5; 1 John 2:2). The Lord Jesus suffered and tasted the horrible death of crucifixion on Calvary’s Cross as the God-Man to bring salvation, redemption, and freedom to ALL people through faith in Him (Hebrews 2:9-10, 15, 17-18; see also e.g., John 1:29, 34; John 3:16; Galatians 1:4; 1 Peter 2:24). Only as a human could the Lord Jesus Christ suffer eternal death for ALL people to remove and destroy the power of sin in our lives (Hebrews 2:14; see also Romans 8:3; 2 Corinthians 5:14-15). Jesus’ sacrificial death and subsequent resurrection from complete death arrested, ended, and destroyed the power of the evil one, who had the power of death (Hebrews 2:14; see also John 16:11; Romans 6:5-11; 2 Timothy 1:10; 1 John 3:8). In other words, the evil one is disarmed, inoperative, and has no control against faithful and obedient followers of Jesus (e.g., see Colossians 2:15). Everyone dies, but death is not the end for believers of Jesus but a doorway to victory and a new life through faith in Jesus (e.g., see John 14:6; 1 Corinthians 15:55-58).

Through His sacrificial death and miraculous resurrection from complete death, the living LORD God has crowned His Son Jesus with glory and honor and given His Son Jesus complete charge over everything (Hebrews 2:8-9; see also Acts 2:23-24, 32-33, 36; Romans 1:4; Romans 8:34; Philippians 2:9-10). Even more, the living Jesus brings everyone who believes and obeys Him freedom, restoration, eternal salvation, and God’s Holy Spirit power (Hebrews 2:10, 14-15; see also John 8:36; Hebrews 5:9). The living God gives His spiritual empowerment to those who obey Him (e.g., see John 14:15-17, 21, 23-24; Acts 5:32). Sadly, Adam and Eve failed to receive God’s glory because of their sin, rebellion, and disobedience against God (e.g., see Genesis 3:1-7). Jesus shares and brings many sons and daughters into God’s glory who trust and obey Him (Hebrews 2:10; see also John 17:22-24; Revelation 1:5-6).

Furthermore through our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ’s sacrificial death and resurrection by His Father, the living LORD God declares all believers holy (sanctified, cleansed), righteous (justified), and adopted into God’s family and Kingdom (Hebrews 2:11; see also John 1:12-13; Romans 5:1; Romans 8:14-23; 1 Corinthians 1:30; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Galatians 3:26; Galatians 4:5; Hebrews 10:10, 14, 29). The Lord Jesus Christ’s sacrificial suffering and death made Him a perfect Leader to bring ALL BELIEVERS in Him into their eternal salvation and glory (see Hebrews 2:10). Only through Jesus Christ’s sacrificial death and resurrection could He deliver and bring freedom and salvation from sin and death (see Hebrews 2:15). Now, faithful and obedient believers of Jesus now have the SAME Father of Jesus Christ also as their Father (Hebrews 2:11-12; see also Romans 8:15). Even more, believers become united with the resurrected Lord Jesus Christ and become His fellow brothers and sisters (Hebrews 2:11-13; see also Galatians 2:20). During His earthly ministry, the Lord Jesus Christ declared that everyone who TRUSTS in Him and OBEYS His teaching as His brothers and sisters and part of God’s Kingdom (e.g., see Luke 8:19-21; Luke 11:28; John 14:15, 21, 23; James 1:22).

Even more, the Lord Jesus Christ’s humanity made Him our merciful and faithful final High Priest before His Father, the living LORD God (Hebrews 2:17; see also Hebrews 4:14-16). In the Old Testament, the high priest was the mediator or intercessor between God and His people. The high priest’s job was to regularly offer animal sacrifices according to the Mosaic Law and to intercede with God for forgiveness of the people's sins. Jesus Christ is now our High Priest. Now, the Lord Jesus Christ understands our weaknesses, trials, and temptations, and He freely gives His mercy, grace, and Spirit during our temptation (e.g., see Hebrews 4:15-16). Because of the Lord Jesus Christ’s suffering and temptation, He knows what it is like when humans suffer and are tempted (see Hebrews 2:18). Therefore, the Lord Jesus Christ is wonderfully able to help and save us humans during our suffering, testing, and temptations (see Hebrews 2:18). Now, the Lord Jesus Christ is obedient believers’ perfect High Priest who intercedes and mediates with His Father. Having personally experienced human testing, hardships, and temptations, the resurrected Lord Jesus Christ can now better help ALL humans with our testing, hardship, and temptation (e.g., see Hebrews 2:18). If you need any help, cry out to Jesus for help (e.g., Romans 8:34; 1 Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 7:25; 1 John 2:1)!

Because of Jesus Christ’s sacrificial death and resurrection, ALL humans must STOP sinning and doing evil, REPENT of their sins, and TURN and LOVE the living LORD God, who is the Father of Jesus (e.g., see Matthew 4:17; Matthew 22:27; Mark 1:14; Luke 13:3, 5, 27, 1 John 2:1). The Son of God bore ALL our sins in His body on Calvary’s Cross that we might die to sin and live to righteousness (e.g., see 1 Peter 2:24). Our trust, goodness, and obedience in the living God and His Son Jesus removes ALL our sins (e.g., see Acts 2:38-40; Acts 3:19). The living God calls ALL people to OBEY His righteous ways and commands (e.g., see 1 John 2:3-6). Every time one sinner repents and turns to the living and loving God, God’s holy angels rejoice and celebrates your recovery from the death of the evil one to new life (e.g., see Luke 15:7, 10, 32). Our continual sins, disobedience, and evil actions reveal you do not love God but in allegiance and obedience with the evil one (e.g., see 1 John 3:7-8). COME BACK TO GOD (e.g., see 2 Corinthians 5:20).

References

ESV Study Bible, English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008).

Life Application Study Bible (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Pub., 2005).

The Living Bible Paraphrase (Tyndale House, 1971).

Zondervan NIV Study Bible (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2008).