He was handed over by God’s set plan and foreknowledge, and you, by the hands of the lawless, put Him to death by nailing Him to the cross. But God raised Him from the dead, releasing Him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for Him to be held in its clutches. Acts 2:23-24 BSB
Nothing about the Easter story was by chance! God had an intentional plan to reconcile man to Himself and restore the fellowship that was lost when Adam and Eve left the garden. Nor was Jesus helpless as He was nailed to the cross; He could have called 10,000 angels to His rescue, but His desire to save you and I was great enough to keep Him there. For the penalty of sin is death, and we all sin! Yes, He bore the agony of crucifixion so that we could declared righteous in God’s eyes!
But the story didn’t end there, for God’s plan was not yet complete. Satan had led mankind down a deadly path. If death had conquered Jesus, we would have no hope of ever escaping. But death could not hold the Author of life in it’s clutches! The Spirit of God has power over death! Though Jesus emptied Himself and entered our world as a helpless newborn baby, even as a man, he had access to the life giving, powerful Spirit of God!
Here’s the best news about Easter: We have access to the same Spirit of God!
And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit, who dwells within you. Romans 8:11 BSB
Since Jesus bore our penalty for sin on the cross, we can now be reconciled to God! We can walk with God, and enjoy a relationship with Him similar to what Adam and Eve experienced in the garden!
Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For in Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life has set you free from the law of sin and death. For what the Law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful man, as an offering for sin. He thus condemned sin in the flesh, so that the righteous standard of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. Romans 8:1-4 BSB