Let’s be honest – many individuals don’t really understand the importance of Easter Monday. In fact, depending on where you reside, it could be a vacation you have barely even heard of. If you reside within the UK, likelihood is you recognize it as considered one of our Bank Holidays all year long.
In terms of Easter, you could be pondering, ‘Aren’t Good Friday and Easter Sunday enough?’ ‘What exactly is Easter Monday, and why does it matter?’
Easter Monday is the day immediately following Easter Sunday, the celebration of Jesus Christ’s resurrection. It kicks off the 50-day season of Eastertide, which leads as much as Pentecost. While it could not get as much attention as Good Friday or Easter Sunday, Easter Monday is recognised as a public holiday in countries like Nigeria, the United Kingdom and Canada.
And more importantly for Christians, it offers an exquisite opportunity for reflection. Why? Because the resurrection of Jesus isn’t only a moment in history — it’s crucial to our faith.
Resurrection is More Than a Story
Jesus truly died and He truly rose again. That’s not a metaphor or myth — it’s reality. His death accomplished the work of our salvation, but His resurrection confirmed it (Romans 4:25). It sealed the victory over sin, darkness, and death, and guaranteed everlasting life for all who imagine (Romans 6:9 and a pair of Timothy 1:10).
That alone should fill us with unshakable joy and hope — the type that doesn’t fade with time or circumstance. But for lots of us, this joy and hope don’t appear to last. Why?
Because we frequently overlook what must come before resurrection: death.
Before Resurrection Comes the Cross
Think of Mary weeping outside the tomb (John 20:11–18) or the disciples on the road to Emmaus, stuffed with confusion and grief (Luke 24:13-35). That was real heartbreak. Before the enjoyment of Easter Sunday, there was the sorrow of Friday and the silence of Saturday.
And so it’s in our lives. Resurrection requires death — death to the old self, to sin, to pride, to the patterns that separate us from God.
As Paul explains in 1 Corinthians 15, resurrection has all the time been God’s design (v35). Because of the autumn of man, we lost our spiritual connection to God — and without that relationship, physical death marked the top of our story (Genesis 3). But through Jesus Christ, we’ve got been reconciled to God, and death is only the start of an eternity with God. Even more, we’re promised latest spiritual bodies, transformed beyond the bounds of this earthly life, glorious and everlasting (v45–47; v52–54).
But it begins with give up.
United with Christ in His Death and His Life
To follow Jesus is to die with Him — our sinful nature nailed to the cross — and to be raised with Him in newness of life (Romans 6:4-6). That means we now not live for ourselves, but for the One who gave the whole lot for us (Galatians 2:20; 2 Corinthians 5:15). Our hearts are being renewed, reshaped into the image of Christ — the image of sacrificial love, mercy, and truth (2 Corinthians 3:18).
We at the moment are His hands and feet on the earth, called to proceed His work of affection and restoration (Ephesians 2:10).
But can we truly imagine on this resurrection? Do we trust Jesus when He says, “I’m the resurrection and the life”? (John 11:25)
Don’t Downplay the Power of Resurrection
Sometimes, we hesitate to embrace the resurrection fully due to pain it requires. Crucifixion is just not easy — it reveals how far we’re from the image of Christ. It stirs up questions: ‘Have I actually been born again?’ ‘Can I actually live this latest life?’
But here’s the reality: God doesn’t just see who you at the moment are — He sees who you’re becoming (Romans 8:29-30; Jeremiah 29:11). His love all the time looks forward with hope. If Jesus didn’t see potential beyond the cross, He wouldn’t have endured it. So, have a look at yourself through His eyes — the eyes of a God who sees the resurrected you. He will certainly see the great work that He has began in you to completion (Philippians 1:6).
A New Way to Celebrate
This Easter Monday let’s give ourselves permission to pause. To reflect. To meditate on the facility of Christ’s resurrection — not only as something that happened, but as something that’s still happening in us.
May your spirit be renewed, your faith strengthened, and your heart stirred to walk within the resurrected life you’ve been given.
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