People celebrate a lot of different days during the year. Days such as birthdays, anniversaries, holidays on which we give cards to others to express thanks and love, along with a thousand other reasons. We as Americans celebrate Independence Day, President’s Day, Veteran’s Day, Memorial Day & D-Day. Religious Jews celebrate days like Hanukah and Passover while Muslims would celebrate days such as Ramadan.
Have you ever asked yourself what the greatest day is, period? As a Christian, I can say the greatest day in my life personally was the day I trusted Christ as a young man. I look back on that day as the day that started it all and has made all the difference. For those reading this article, the day you trusted Christ would be the greatest day for you personally. But what about for all of us collectively. We didn’t all trust Christ the same day and same year did we? No, we didn’t, but we do have the wonderful privilege to share days together. We celebrate weekly on Sundays and Wednesdays. Why are those days chosen? The early church met on Sundays to celebrate the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. You see this in several passages. So, we meet on Sundays. Early Christians also loved being with each other so they would gather with one another during the week for fellowship and learning the apostle’s doctrine. We do this on Wednesday evenings. No specific weekday has ever been official. We just do what Hebrews 10:25 tells us to do.
If you had to choose a single day, the day that means the most to you as a member of the Christian family, what would that day be? My chosen day is easy. Easter, Resurrection Day, in my mind is the greatest single day in the history of the whole world. It was the day that confirmed a holy God had accepted the sacrifice Jesus made on the cross. I love Christmas time and the special things we do on the Sundays around the Christmas theme, but they are not as special as Easter. All religions had a founder that was born. Our founder was also born. Granted His birth was unique in the fact He was virgin born and none of the others could make that claim. Some of those leaders lived decent lives but none lived a perfect life like Jesus did. While none of those men could match the life, the teaching, the love of Christ, they would have had some of those or other good traits. But the one thing they cannot claim is what happened on that first Easter, the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. They all have their bodies lying in a grave somewhere, but Jesus, all by Himself has an empty tomb. It was life changing for those early Christians. A bunch of fearful people, scared, not knowing what to do or where to go were transformed into a group of people that became brave and fearless in their purpose. The day we call Easter and the truth it brings gave them boldness to change the world. That day for two thousand years has inspired and brought comfort to God’s people.
Let me close by giving a Bible example of a Christian that went from sadness and despair to joy and elation. John 20:11 says, “Mary stood without at the sepulcher weeping.” Mary Magdalene was a young lady that Jesus had cast out seven demons. Jesus had given her freedom from the chains of sin, given her a purpose in life and joy that she’d never known. But then, the authorities took her Rabbi, her Master, and killed Him. What was she going to do? The one that gave her everything was gone. She decided to do what others would do. She would honor him with a decent burial. The Passover had passed so she would go with others to anoint his body for proper burial not just the quick actions just before Passover that Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus had done. The night had been sleepless as she relived the horrors of the crucifixion. As she stands alone at the tomb weeping, the resurrected Jesus speaks to her. Her emotions change immediately. She sees he is alive. Everything is now different. The Lord Jesus is alive and He’s still alive today. It was that day that permanently changed Mary. No other religious leader has been able to make the claim of resurrection. The resurrection of Jesus has been challenged and lied about since the time it happened two thousand years ago, but the Bible declares it to be truth by many infallible proofs (Acts 1:3-9). Eye witnesses abound. Yes, the day for Christians to look back to is the one that changed everything. That same Jesus Christ and his resurrection is still changing lives today.