EASTER 2025
April 20, 2025
INTRO …The Bible Route that Leads to Easter
“While the book industry as a whole is flat so far this year, sales of Bibles are red-hot. … Overall, sales are up 22% this year through the end of October …Many of those buyers are first-timers, a curious statistic, since a growing number of Americans say they do not profess any sort of religious affiliation. …
One publisher of Bibles told the Wall Street Journal it has seen a surge of interest from Generation Z and younger Americans. There are more than 8 million posts on TikTok about the Bible, as well as a slew of videos about Bibles to buy, many with hundreds of thousands or even over 1 million likes.” —Chris Morris, Fortune, Dec. 2, 2024
“63% (of Americans) could identify Genesis as the first book of the Bible, according to our 2010 religious knowledge survey. But fewer than half of adults (45%) could name all four Gospels” —– Pew Research
“29% say the Bible is a collection of “fables, legends, history and moral precepts recorded by man.” —– Gallup
THE ROUTE TO EASTER
“Is the Bible a ‘Sunday Driver’?”
– The Bible Has a DESTINATION!
…”CREATION” (a Presentation that Describes Design, Definition, and Purpose) …then, quickly the next Critical Route Detail—”THE FALL” (the event that made human life Problematic!) …Think of every way you and I experience problems, troubles (inside and out), tragedies, conflicts, disease, death…
—From THAT MOMENT ON (Gen 3 –>) …the Bible is taking us on a journey to ONE DESTINATION —Good Friday & Easter!
…THEN, the Rest of the Bible is about “Explaining Easter”
EASTER EXPLAINED
Something Happened at Easter that Has Life Defining Implications for the Problems that Came Into Our World at the Fall!
(1) Something Happened… To The Problem of Sin & Human Nature (the flesh)
Romans = a Writing by the Apostle Paul to a Group of Christians living in Rome about 25 years after Easter. …It is a writing that is seeking to “Explain Easter”–it’s telling them that This Unique Event and the Unique Person is relevant to the life you all are seeking to live!
Rom 5
…v. 12 …sin’s debut! It was not always here, but it has been a life problem for us all ever since! …sin touches things and brings death–AND it SPREADS!
– v. 14 …it reigned over the next known leg of “the ROUTE” (Adam to Moses!) …Interesting verb—”Reigned” (a word of rulership and control!) …
…v. 17-18 …One man (Adam) did something that touched everyone (Sin Explained) …One man (Jesus Christ) did something that touches everyone who receives what He did!
v. 18-19 … Right Standing Explained! Adam got kicked out of the Presence of God; humanity has lived distant and disconnected from God because of SIN!!
“so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men.”
NOTE: the moment on the Map is EASTER—Not my life’s story or events or achievements! …the “Story-Map” doesn’t lead to “My Address”
Rom 6
…v. 1 …Raises the question about the type of lives we are now going to live. …Are we going to continue in sin?
…v. 2-4 …The explanation is an “Easter Explanation” …when it comes to the life we will now live and the controlling power that sin has over humanity …a New Day and a New Power has Dawned at Easter!!
…v. 2 …tells us that something happened TO US at the Cross! …we all know that Jesus Died at the Cross—BUT, did you know that God placed you/me “in Christ”, so that WE TOO would Die …and this Death would sever Sin’s Claims Over Us!!
Rom 7:1-6 …check this trick out!!
…Rom 6:4 …Easter Explains WHY We Can Walk in Newness of Life
Rom 8
…v. 3-5 …This “Easter Impact” has Real Life Implications!
v. 3 …there was something that “Could Not be Done”!!…So God had to Come Do it!
v. 5 … “those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit.”
the Key Explanation for Our Disconnect …Rom 5:17 “For if because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.” … “those who receive the abundance of grace”.
…There’s Only ONE Place—where Sin’s Control & Reign over Our Fallen Human Nature Can be Fixed—EASTER!!
Humanity Had 2 More “LEGAL PROBLEMS” that Required This “Google Maps Journey” to the Location of Easter! …the authority/power of the Devil …the Legal Judgment of God against sin
(2) Something Happened …to “The god of This World”
2Cor 4:3-4 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. 4 In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
2Cor 3:14 14 But their minds were hardened. For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away.
…Christ = the Anointed ONE …and He has done something that can ONLY be found in Him!!
1Cor 15:21-24 For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. 23 But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. 24 Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power.
(3) Something Happened… to “The Curse/Judgment of God”
1Cor 15:26 “The last enemy to be destroyed is death.”
…Where did Death Come From? …the Curse/Judgment of God against Sin!!
Heb 10:11-18 And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12 But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, 13 waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. 14 For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified. 15 And the Holy Spirit also bears witness to us; for after saying, 16 “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws on their hearts, and write them on their minds,” 17 then he adds, “I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.” 18 Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin.
…All Those Years of Sacrifice were because of Human Guilt before God …BUT, what if those sins could be removed and forgiven??? …Where Did That Happen?—AT THE CROSS
…So… What’s the Bible all About? …It’s About This ONE DESTINATION!
The NEED we have for it!
The IMPACT it has On Us!