Easter is a time often marked by family, church, and celebration.

Most importantly, it is the day that serves as the foundation for the Christian faith because it is the day of Christ’s resurrection. The Gospel of Matthew recounts the events of that first Easter morning:

Now after the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to look at the grave. And behold, a severe earthquake had occurred, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled away the stone and sat upon it. And his appearance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow. The guards shook for fear of him and became like dead men. The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid; for I know that you are looking for Jesus who has been crucified. He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said. Come, see the place where He was lying. Go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead; and behold, He is going ahead of you into Galilee, there you will see Him; behold, I have told you.”

Matthew 28:1-7

The words that the angel spoke to the women at the tomb early on Sunday morning still ring true today—“He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said.” This is the glorious message of Easter. The resurrection is so central to the Christian faith that the Apostle Paul said, “If Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain” (1 Corinthians 15:14).

The message of the gospel is simple. Christ died for our sins and was raised on the third day to give us victory over sin and death. We receive this gift of salvation by grace through faith in Christ (Ephesians 2:8-9). Paul tells us, “If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9). This is the heart of the Easter message. The death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus made salvation available to us.

Christ is risen! He is risen indeed!