Readings: Acts 10:34, 37–43; Psalm 118; Colossians 3:1–4; John 20:1–9
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today is Easter Sunday, the day we celebrate the most significant event in the Christian faith: they Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.
Someone once asked me, “What is the significance of the Resurrection? What difference does it make if Christ didn’t rise again?” That is the question I feel moved to answer today.
As St. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15:14:
“If Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain.”
So today’s homily is more than a reflection—it is a catechesis on why the Resurrection changes everything.
Five Reasons the Resurrection Is So Significant
I. The Resurrection confirms everything Jesus said and did
Jesus made many bold claims—about His identity, His authority, and His mission. His greatest claim was that He would rise from the dead. The Resurrection is the final, indisputable confirmation that Jesus is who He said He is:
The Son of God, the Saviour of the world, the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
If Jesus had not risen, He would have been no different from any other religious figure—perhaps even a fraud. But because He rose, we know we can trust Him, follow Him, and worship Him.
This is what makes Christianity unique. No other religious founder has risen from the dead. This is why Christianity should not be placed on the same level as other religions. Yet sadly, some of our children are taught this kind of relativism in school. We must correct that gently but firmly—with truth and love.
II. The Resurrection is the receipt of our salvation
When Jesus died, He declared: “It is finished.” That was the payment. The Resurrection is the receipt—proof that the sacrifice was accepted by the Father.
Because of the Resurrection:
We are reconciled with God
Our sins are truly forgiven
We can be confident in mercy, no matter our past.
As St. Paul says, “If Christ has not been raised… you are still in your sins.” (1 Corinthians 15:17) But because He is risen, any sin can be forgiven—past, present, or future.
That is freedom. That is grace.
III. The Resurrection is victory over death and the devil
On Good Friday, it seemed like Satan had won. But on Easter Sunday, the empty tomb became the symbol of ultimate victory.
The devil is defeated. Death is conquered. Christ is risen—and in Him, we are more than conquerors.
As Paul writes in Romans 8:37:
“In all these things, we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.”
No matter what rises against you—sin, fear, failure, pain—you will overcome because in Jesus we are overcomers.
IV. The Resurrection removes the sting of death
Before Christ, death meant final separation—an end to life and to love. But now, through the Resurrection, death is no longer the end. It is a doorway to eternal life. A transformation—not a termination.
This is why St. Paul cries out in 1 Corinthians 15:55:
“Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?”
Our loved ones who died in Christ are not lost. They are alive in Him, and we shall see them again. This hope banishes fear. This truth strengthens faith.
V. The Resurrection means we serve a living God
We are not following a dead teacher—we are following the Living One.
As Jesus said in Revelation 1:18 to John on the Island of Patmos, six years after Jesus’ death:
“I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold, I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.”
He is alive forevermore! Alleluia!
Prayer
May the Resurrection of Christ fill you with:
New power in your trials
New strength for your journey
New joy in your soul
New hope for your future
New reason to live, to believe, and to celebrate.
Let Easter be more than a memory. Let it be your motivation.
Let it be more than a story. Let it be your strength.
Christ is Risen! He is Risen Indeed! Alleluia!
Amen.
Sermon preached by Fr Emmanuel Baraka-Gukena Okami on Easter Sunday, April 20, 2025.