For Easter, Jesus made a really bad deal. But it was His idea. He exchanged His perfect life for all the rotten things I’ve ever done and ever will do, His spotless robe for my filthy rags. And He offers the same deal to everyone.

This makes no sense, yet He offers it anyway.

Why? Because He loves us so much and wants us to be with Him for eternity.

We usually talk about presents at Christmas, but Easter is the time when the value of God’s gift to us becomes fully vested.

Because of God’s grace-filled gift, amidst the storms of life, there lies a profound serenity calling out to us—the peace of Christ. This peace transcends mere emotions or situational respite; it is a deep-seated, unshakeable assurance made possible through the greatest acts of divine love and sacrifice. The Bible recounts the pivotal moments in our faith, particularly through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, illuminating the incredible ways God has bridged the vast divide between our flawed nature and His perfect holiness, thus granting us access to a peace that defies all logic.

The Veil Torn, Access Granted

When Jesus breathed His last on the cross, an extraordinary event took place within the temple: “And the veil of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom” (Mark 15:38). This was no ordinary fabric; it was the barrier separating the Holy of Holies, where God’s presence dwelt, from the rest of the temple. Traditionally, only the high priest could pass beyond this veil, and even then, only once a year on the Day of Atonement.

Yet, in this divine act of the veil being torn, God Himself declared that the way to His presence was now open to all humanity, not just to a select few. Despite our filthy rags, we have been granted the privilege of unhindered access to our holy and perfect God through Jesus’s sacrifice. This profound act is the foundation upon which the peace of Christ is built—a peace that flows from the ability to approach God’s throne of grace with confidence (Hebrews 4:16).

Whatever it is we’re grappling with, we can remind ourselves: God’s got this.

The Stone Rolled Away, Hope Unveiled

Similarly, the rolling away of the stone from Jesus’s tomb (Matthew 28:2) was an act of divine provision, offering us a glimpse into the miracle of the resurrection. The angels who moved the stone did so not to free Jesus (for He had already risen) but to allow us, through the eyewitnesses of His disciples, access to the evidence of His victory over death. This visible testament to the power of God invites us to believe in something that, under normal circumstances, would be beyond belief: Jesus, once dead, was now alive. Through this act, we are called to a hope that is as enduring as it is bold.

We should never stop wondering: if God has the power to bring Jesus back to life, what are the dead things in my life that need His resurrecting power?

Access to Peace Amidst the Improbable

The tearing of the veil and the rolling away of the stone are not just historical events; they are emblematic of the access we now have to the peace of Christ. This peace, often incomprehensible to our human minds (and especially baffling to those who are not yet followers of Christ), assures us of God’s sovereignty and care, regardless of the turmoil around us. It is a peace that whispers to us that despair and defeat are never final and that, no matter how unlikely our deliverance may seem, God will make a way (Isaiah 43:16).

He always has and He always will.

This divine peace tells us that because of Jesus’s sacrifice and triumphant resurrection, we are reconciled to God and recipients of the victory He achieved over sin and death.

This is the gift of Easter.

There may be many days when it feels like Satan is way ahead in the cosmic battle taking place for our souls and eternal destinations, but Easter shows us that God wins. And He’s sharing that victory with those of us who have fallen to our knees in front of the cross.

Knowing how it ends should help us view our daily struggles through the right lens. Yes, our circumstances can be challenging, or even sometimes downright awful, but how much will they really matter in the end, as long as we hold tight to Jesus’s hand?

Think of the peace this perspective gives us. Who couldn’t use more peace? The world could sure use it, and so could I.

As the Apostle Paul writes:

As we meditate on these truths, let the peace of Christ reign in our hearts (Colossians 3:15). May this peace, which surpasses all understanding, guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:7), especially when the world around us seems engulfed in chaos. And may we always cherish the access we have been given to the eternal, unchanging peace of our Lord.