And you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses. — Acts 3:15

To understand this text, we need a little context.

The person speaking here is a man named Peter. Peter was one of Jesus's closest disciples. He made this statement shortly after Jesus ascended to heaven. In this situation, Peter and John are making their way back to the Temple for prayer and on the way, as they pass through an entrance, they encounter a well-known lame beggar. Everyone knew this lame man, and as usual, he sat there daily begging because he was unable to work. So Peter, instead of giving him a customary financial gift, offers him another gift. The gift of healing to his disfunction legs. And this man has never walked. He was born lame. Miraculously this man is instantaneously healed, and he leaps from the ground. And all the people on the temple grounds, primarily devout religious Jews, are ecstatic at what happened. The crowd erupts in celebration. But Peter is a little dumbfounded at their response. We might even say he is a little hacked off that they are celebrating, mainly because these same religious people who were cheering this event were the same ones who just called for the sentencing and killing of an innocent man — Jesus. You see, Peter understands something that the religious people didn't understand. That it was Jesus who healed the lame man, it was the power of Christ that gave life and strength to his legs. But they failed to make this connection. So essentially, Peter is a little snappy with them. But he hopes that now they will see through the lens of Easter, the resurrection, that Jesus is the way, truth, and life just as he said.

This week, we will reference a few reasons that Easter is important. I believe we see one right here.

Easter, the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, is the event through which humanity makes sense of everything. It is the most important event of all time. Through this single event, we gain clarity about God, about man, and God's love for all humanity. This event is the culmination of the story of God. Without it, man would be in a state of perpetual confusion. Without Easter, there is no reason. In fact, Easter is reason. It's how God reasoned our salvation. It's not just the reason. It is reason itself.

Just consider how confused God's people were in this text. They were desperately confused. And by the way, the people Peter is speaking to in this text weren't just any people. They were some of the most devout followers of God at that time. They came to worship God at his Temple and yet completely misunderstood God. Not only did they misunderstand him, but they killed his Son. In their blatant misunderstanding about God, they murdered him. And yet get this — Jesus allowed this to happen. He died for them. Jesus died for confused humanity becuase he knew they could not make sense of him without Easter. Without an event that had not happened yet. And so, the event of Easter is now the evidence that Peter presents to them on the Temple grounds. While Peter is a little irritated, he also knows that maybe now they'll make the connection. The connection of the miracle of the lame man to the miracle of the Son of Man. Do you see the connection? That it was the same God and same power who raised both men.

So fellas, this week, there are people who will be confused about Easter Sunday. They won't get it. Be patient with them. Be patient with them as God was with you. God wants all people to understand. And he knows that there are people you want to understand too. While they may be confused, pray God will illuminate their minds because fellas Jesus lives. He is alive and well, and he will make his power known.

ASK THIS: What do you know that is confused at present about Jesus?

DO THIS: Pray that God will give them the understanding to see the importance of Easter.

PRAY THIS: Father, show insert name that you live and that you are their hope for eternal salvation.

PLAY THIS: Same Power.

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