We live in an masterfully created and good world. And God, the maker of this place we call home, filled it with all kinds of amazing places and creatures. The prize of his creations, human beings, were given the privilege to be God's image - his representation to this world. We were designed to live forever, in unity with God and harmony with all his created things, in a special state of existence that Jesus called eternal life.

Humans were tricked into rebelling by an ambitious enemy who opposed God. This broke God's heart and wounded our relationship with God, leading to violence, greed, corruption, and decay. Our mistakes piled up, and up, and had consequences - dire ones. Because of this, we are now under the power of death - both physical and spiritual death. The good and beautiful eternal life God planned for us is out of reach in our own power.

The cost of our mistakes was death, but God loved us too much to leave us to suffer that fate. There was a catch, though - only an infinite, limitless being could take on an infinite, limitless penalty. So God sent Jesus, his one and only Son, to become human in every way that we were, live a perfect, sinless life, and take on the consequences of our mistakes - the penalty that was due to us.

Jesus came not just to pay the penalty for our sins - but to break the power of sin and death over all God's creation. Because of the miracle of Jesus rising from the dead, we can enjoy the power and presence of God daily, enabling us to live the abundant life Jesus promised, transformed into His way of living. And Jesus' defeat of death means we can look forward to a future where that perfect state of eternal life is restored once and for all. We will rise just like He did, restored to unity with God and enjoying His presence forever.