It’s 15 years since I authored Raised with Christ. In the book I urged Christians not to neglect the resurrection of Jesus. Today I am eagerly awaiting the publication of the second edition of that book. It should hopefully be available this week, just in time for preachers to use it in their sermon prep. At the end of this page are links to a few free chapters that may be particularly helpful as we all celebrate the most important day of the Christian year.
I argue in the book that in our eagerness to focus on the cross we have sometimes forgotten to fully proclaim the glorious news of Easter Sunday:
Christ has risen!
I am sure most preachers will at least mention Jesus’ resurrection on Sunday. But will they emphasize it or simply tag it on to the end of a sermon focussed on the Cross of Jesus? A few preachers might even feel that they should not interrupt their normal series for Easter Sunday. I believe anything other than a full declaration of the glory of the empty tomb and what it means for us today would be a mistake. Easter is a day that non believers will come and visit your church. It is an opportunity to preach the gospel. The same gospel that in the book of Acts was always a declaration that Jesus has risen again:
In every sermon in the book of Acts the resurrection is stressed and the cross is usually just assumed. Much of the preaching of the gospel in our churches today would reverse that emphasis, stressing the cross while assuming the resurrection. #RaisedwithChrist
— Adrian Warnock (@adrianwarnock) April 8, 2025
So I challenge you preacher, as you prepare for Easter Sunday, focus on the Resurrection as I did almost 20 years ago now when I was asked to preach that Easter Sunday. The study and realization that this glorious subject was neglected was what led to me writing my first book. I hope that the new edition will mean that the book can continue to help many others, not just preachers, as they examine afresh just what the resurrection of Jesus has accomplished for us.
Some Free Chapters from the revised book
Resurrection: Fact or Fiction? Did Jesus Rise from the Dead?
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