Introduction
I hear tiny feet pitter-patter across a polished wooden floor. It’s Easter morning and the sun is rising. “There’s another one!” my three-year-old son exclaims with delight, racing toward a babyblue egg hidden in a corner of the room. His eyes widen as he opens the plastic egg, revealing a small piece of candy, a treasure. He tastes the sugary treat and a smile lights up his face. A moment later, his chubby hands clutch the handle of a basket filled with eggs, and my precious boy is off again, eagerly searching the room for more. Easter. What a monumental day. This is the day we celebrate the resurrection of God’s Son. On this day, we have reason to proclaim our new identity in Him, because of what He did for us. When He rose from the dead, everything changed. Beginning with this single moment in time, our new life was made possible. Jesus’s resurrection confirmed and affirmed an identity in us that cannot be shaken. As we dig into the Easter story and its astonishing conclusion, you might find it hard to believe. Or you might believe the story, but it has become overly familiar. Or maybe you’ve never before heard the story. Regardless, what we will discover about Jesus is intense. It’s horrible and it’s wonderful. But most importantly, it opens the possibility for a new identity—one based upon how God sees us rather than how we might see ourselves. Our imperfections are replaced by His perfection, our sin by His righteousness. As we dive deep into the life of Jesus according to John, we will begin to understand what He has done for us. In each xiii
