Lord’s Day 17: Q&A 45: The ‘So What?’ of Easter
Just a few weeks ago we looked at what impact Christmas, specifically Christ’s conception and birth, has on our lives. This Lord’s Day, the Catechism asks us an equally important question: “How does Christ’s resurrection benefit us?”
Now, I recognize that there are people who, if you really make them give you an answer, will say that Easter is more important than Christmas. Personally, I usually fall under the opposite camp and say that Christmas is more important than Easter because Christmas inaugurates what will come at Easter, but it’s all semantics, really. Both Christmas and Easter are of utmost importance to the Christian faith. Christmas gives us the hope of our sins being forgiven by our ultimate mediator and savior, and Easter seals that promise for us.
In this Lord’s Day, we get a short and sweet explanation for the ‘So What?’: Christ makes us share in his righteousness, we are raised to a new life in him, and his resurrection is a pledge to us of our own resurrection.
Bonus fun fact: If you follow the calendar of the Catechism for next year (2025), this Lord’s Day will be the week after Easter, so there’s a nice Eastertide sermon for you! Anyways, this week we have some resources written by both Chadd and I centered around Easter and this Lord’s Day:
LORD’S DAY 17
Q&A 45
CALL TO WORSHIP
Leader: Brothers and Sisters, let us give thanks to God for the resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
People: He is risen!
Leader: Christ has overcome death to make us share in the righteousness he has obtained for us
People: He is risen indeed!
Leader: By Christ’s power we too are raised to a new life in him.
People: We are risen with him!
Leader: The resurrection of Christ is assurance of our ultimate resurrection to come.
All: Amen! He is risen! He is risen indeed!
CONFESSION AND ASSURANCE
Gracious Lord Jesus, you died for our sins on the cross, and you were raised to new life, which we celebrate on this Easter day. Yet we act like your resurrection does not mean much to us. We do not act as changed people. We do not share what your resurrection means with others. We do not treat others as we should. We disparage your name by our actions, thoughts, and deeds. Most Holy Lord, forgive us for our actions and for our inactions. Forgive us for still living as if you had not been raised from the grave.
-time for silent reflection and confession-
Leader: Christ has overcome death and the grave. By this, we who believe in him share in his righteousness and are raised ourselves to a new life. By Christ’s death and resurrection, our sins are forgiven! May we live as saved ones for whom this changes everything.
People: Thanks be to God for this gift of grace. He is risen indeed, and we are raised out of the depths of our sin with him!
ASSURANCE OF PARDON (1 Peter 1:3-4, Ephesians 2:4-6)
Leader: In God’s great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade.
All: By his resurrection he has overcome death, so that he might make us share in the righteousness.
Leader: But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions.
All: By Christ’s power we too are already raised to a new life.
Leader: God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus.
All: Christ’s resurrection is a sure pledge to us of our blessed resurrection.
SENDING (Romans 6)
Brothers and Sisters, we have been united with Christ in his death. So too we are united with him in his resurrection. We have been made dead to our sins and raised to new life to live for Christ and his kingdom. Go from here as ones who have been set free from sin to bring that good news to the world. In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, Amen.
