Easter is just around the corner - this year, it falls on Sunday, April 16 - and already, store windows are filled with bunnies, chocolates, and pastel-colored eggs.
But for Christians, Easter is more than a day filled with parades, Easter egg hunts, and visits from the Easter bunny. Rather, it's the time of year we remember the Death and Resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. In fact, it could be argued that Easter - also known as "Resurrection Sunday" - is Christianity's most important holiday.
In 1 Corinthians 15:17, the apostle Paul explains why Jesus' resurrection is so important for the believer: "If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile, and you are still in your sins."
With His resurrection, Jesus not only proved that He was the Son of God who could take away the sins of the world, but He conquered death and hell for all of humanity. Today, those who believe in Christ do not need to fear death, because Jesus has defeated its power over us.
Jesus' promise of eternal life for those who follow Him is found in John 11:25: "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies."
The Gospel Herald has compiled ten Easter Bible passages to help you meditate on the crucifixion, burial and resurrection of Jesus this coming Sunday. Be filled with the hope that Christ has died, Christ has risen, and Christ will come again!
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"We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him." - Romans 6:9
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"He will swallow up death forever. The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears from all faces; he will remove his people's disgrace from all the earth. The Lord has spoken." - Isaiah 25:8
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"Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus." - Romans 6:8-11
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"And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split. The tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs, and after Jesus' resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many people." - Matthew 27:50-53
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"Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died-more than that, who was raised to life-is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us." Romans 8:34
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"And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split. The tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs, and after Jesus' resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many people." - Matthew 27:50-53
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"The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name." - Luke 24:46-47
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"The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life-only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father." John 10:17-18
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"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead." 1 Peter 1:3
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"God raised him from the dead so that he will never be subject to decay. As God has said, "'I will give you the holy and sure blessings promised to David.' So it is also stated elsewhere: "'You will not let your holy one see decay.'" Acts 13:34-35
