easter
Author: Joe Marquez
Why are we here today?
Why gather, sing songs, and talk about a man who lived 2,000 years ago?
Because if Jesus is still dead… this is just a very committed book club.
But if He’s alive… this is the most important gathering happening in our city today.
And if we’re honest, most of us didn’t wake up thinking about that.
We were thinking about coffee… kids… plans later… the week ahead.
And yet here we are.
Which raises a deeper question:
Not just are you here… but why are you here?
Because Christianity doesn’t begin with advice.
It doesn’t start with, “Here’s how to fix your life.”
It begins with an announcement:
Something has happened.
The claim of Easter is that Jesus Christ—who was publicly executed—walked out of the grave.
And if that didn’t happen… none of this matters.
But if it did…
Then we’re not here to add something to our lives.
We’re here because reality itself has changed.
The Real Question
So the question isn’t just:
Do you believe in Jesus?
It’s:
Which Jesus do you believe in?
Because there’s a version of Jesus that fits comfortably into our lives…
And then there’s the risen Jesus.
And those two are not the same.
Two Views of Jesus
The “Suburban Jesus”
This is the version many of us drift into without realizing it.
He’s:
Safe, not sovereign
Helpful, not holy
Inspirational, not authoritative
He adds value to your life—but doesn’t redefine it.
He supports your plans—but doesn’t interrupt them.
And this version produces:
Comfortable Christianity
Selective obedience
Low-risk faith
But here’s the problem:
When life gets hard… this Jesus doesn’t hold up.
If Jesus exists to make your life better, then when life gets worse, He starts to look like a failure.
The Risen Jesus
Easter confronts us with a very different Jesus.
The risen Jesus is:
Victorious over sin and death
Alive and active—not symbolic
Worthy of complete allegiance
King—not consultant
This Jesus doesn’t fit into your life…
He comes to take over.
And this produces something entirely different:
Surrendered lives
Bold faith
Enduring trust—even in suffering
Because the resurrection doesn’t just make Jesus inspiring—
It makes Him undeniable.
Why This Matters
How you see Jesus shapes everything.
It Shapes Your Belief
A small Jesus leads to fragile faith.
A risen Jesus leads to anchored faith.
It Shapes Your Decisions
Suburban Jesus asks: What works for me?
Risen Jesus asks: What is the King calling me to?
It Shapes Your Doubt
A powerless Jesus creates constant uncertainty.
A risen Jesus gives you something solid to wrestle with.
The Response
So here’s the reality:
You have to choose.
And even not choosing… is a choice.
You can follow a Jesus who stays safely on the sidelines—
Or you can follow the risen Jesus who walks into the center of your life.
Because the invitation of Easter isn’t just belief.
It’s death and resurrection.
As Romans 6 says:
We are buried with Him…
So that we might be raised to new life.
The old life—centered on ourselves—dies.
And a new life—centered on Him—begins.
Final Thought
A Jesus who stays in the grave can stay on the edges of your life.
But a Jesus who walks out of the grave…
Walks straight into the center of it.
And the question today is simple:
Which Jesus will you follow?
Why are we here today?
Why gather, sing songs, and talk about a man who lived 2,000 years ago?
Because if Jesus is still dead… this is just a very committed book club.
But if He’s alive… this is the most important gathering happening in our city today.
And if we’re honest, most of us didn’t wake up thinking about that.
We were thinking about coffee… kids… plans later… the week ahead.
And yet here we are.
Which raises a deeper question:
Not just are you here… but why are you here?
Because Christianity doesn’t begin with advice.
It doesn’t start with, “Here’s how to fix your life.”
It begins with an announcement:
Something has happened.
The claim of Easter is that Jesus Christ—who was publicly executed—walked out of the grave.
And if that didn’t happen… none of this matters.
But if it did…
Then we’re not here to add something to our lives.
We’re here because reality itself has changed.
The Real Question
So the question isn’t just:
Do you believe in Jesus?
It’s:
Which Jesus do you believe in?
Because there’s a version of Jesus that fits comfortably into our lives…
And then there’s the risen Jesus.
And those two are not the same.
Two Views of Jesus
The “Suburban Jesus”
This is the version many of us drift into without realizing it.
He’s:
Safe, not sovereign
Helpful, not holy
Inspirational, not authoritative
He adds value to your life—but doesn’t redefine it.
He supports your plans—but doesn’t interrupt them.
And this version produces:
Comfortable Christianity
Selective obedience
Low-risk faith
But here’s the problem:
When life gets hard… this Jesus doesn’t hold up.
If Jesus exists to make your life better, then when life gets worse, He starts to look like a failure.
The Risen Jesus
Easter confronts us with a very different Jesus.
The risen Jesus is:
Victorious over sin and death
Alive and active—not symbolic
Worthy of complete allegiance
King—not consultant
This Jesus doesn’t fit into your life…
He comes to take over.
And this produces something entirely different:
Surrendered lives
Bold faith
Enduring trust—even in suffering
Because the resurrection doesn’t just make Jesus inspiring—
It makes Him undeniable.
Why This Matters
How you see Jesus shapes everything.
It Shapes Your Belief
A small Jesus leads to fragile faith.
A risen Jesus leads to anchored faith.
It Shapes Your Decisions
Suburban Jesus asks: What works for me?
Risen Jesus asks: What is the King calling me to?
It Shapes Your Doubt
A powerless Jesus creates constant uncertainty.
A risen Jesus gives you something solid to wrestle with.
The Response
So here’s the reality:
You have to choose.
And even not choosing… is a choice.
You can follow a Jesus who stays safely on the sidelines—
Or you can follow the risen Jesus who walks into the center of your life.
Because the invitation of Easter isn’t just belief.
It’s death and resurrection.
As Romans 6 says:
We are buried with Him…
So that we might be raised to new life.
The old life—centered on ourselves—dies.
And a new life—centered on Him—begins.
Final Thought
A Jesus who stays in the grave can stay on the edges of your life.
But a Jesus who walks out of the grave…
Walks straight into the center of it.
And the question today is simple:
Which Jesus will you follow?
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