“Jesus said to them, ‘This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms’ Then Jesus opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. He told them, ‘This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.'”

Our Easter gift is forgiveness of sins

Walter, the once-a-year churchgoer, addressed his pastor after the Easter Sunday service: “Hey Rev, you’re in a rut! Every time I’m here, I hear the same thing — ‘Christ is risen. He is risen indeed'”

Of course, even if Walter were to attend many more Sundays a year, it’s likely he would find the preacher in the same “rut.” And thank God for that! There is no biblical truth, no biblical account, and no biblical theme more essential to the Christian faith than “Christ is risen!”

God’s Scriptural Gospel message to humankind hinges completely on the historical fact of Christ’s physical resurrection from the dead. How earnestly the apostle writes: “If Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith … If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins” (1 Corinthians 15:14, 17).

Notice what our resurrected Jesus said, “Repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.” This message of forgiveness and divine peace was not just for those disciples gathered in that upper room. This message is not just for you and me today. It is a message for all nations. It’s for every man, woman and child needing to receive Christ’s Easter gift: “Your sins are forsaken.” This is the biblical reason that we boldly and confidently proclaim every Sunday in the creed, “I believe in the forgiveness of sins.”

As Jesus met with his disciples that first Easter night, he came not only to give them a foundation for their faith and mission. But it was clear that he was building them up in their Easter faith so that they could share it with others. This is what God is doing for us in His Word — the Bible and sacraments of Baptism and Communion. He is again bringing before our eyes and minds the great message of Easter — that through Jesus all our sins are forgiven and eternal life is guaranteed.

This is what Eastertide is all about. We are thankful that by God’s grace alone, his Holy Spirit has opened our minds to understand exactly Easter message. It is about sins forgiven. It is about Christ’s victory over sin, death, and the power of the Evil One. It is about the certainty of our own resurrection and the guarantee of eternal life. It is about the divine peace that only God can give. It is about the burning in our hearts as we ponder its meaning for us and as we share it with family, friends and neighbors. May our Easter desire be that repentance and forgiveness of sins be preached in Christ’s name to all the nations.

May our Eastertide prayer be: “Risen Lord Jesus, open the Scriptures to us; make our hearts burn while you speak to us through them declaring your mighty and comforting message to all people, “Your sins are forgiven!” Amen.

Chopp is a clinical chaplain emeritus, MDiv, BCC, from Marshall