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On news programs, reporters will ask people what they know or think about an event, person, or topic. These “man on the street” interviews reveal some interesting answers from people passing by.

Suppose we could ask some well known people, “What does Easter mean to you?” Charles Stanley has said, “The great gift of Easter is hope – Christian hope which makes us have that confidence in God, in his ultimate triumph, and in his goodness and love, which nothing can shake.”

“To a Christian, Easter Sunday means everything, when we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ,” Bernhard Langer once said. “Easter means hope prevails over despair, Jesus reigns as Lord of Lords and King of Kings,” according to Bishop Desmond Tutu.

Billy Graham stated, “The most important events in human history are the death and the resurrection of Jesus Christ.” He went on to say, “The resurrection of Christ changed the midnight of bereavement into a sunrise of reunion; it changed the midnight of disappointment into a sunrise of joy; it changed the midnight of fear to a sunrise of peace.”

“The resurrection of Jesus changes the face of death for all His people. Death is no longer a prison, but a passage into God’s presence. Easter says you can put truth in a grave, but it won’t stay there,” Clarence W. Hull declares.

Author S. D. Gordon put it this way, “Easter spells out beauty, the rare beauty of new life.” Someone once said, “The meaning of Easter is Jesus Christ’s victory over death. His resurrection symbolizes the eternal life that is granted to all who believe in Him.”

“The story of Easter is the story of God’s wonderful window of divine surprise,” Carl Knudsen has said. “Our old history ends with the cross; our new history begins with the resurrection,” according to Watchman Nee, a Chinese Christian held prisoner for over 20 years.

“Easter means I have a friend who understands long, lonely nights filled with questions. Easter means I have a Savior who faced death so I would no longer need to fear it,” writes blogger Michele Cushatt.

Best-selling author Max Lucado penned these words, “The resurrection is an exploding flare announcing to all sincere seekers that it is safe to believe. Safe to believe in ultimate justice. Safe to believe in eternal bodies. Safe to believe in heaven as our estate and the earth as its porch. Safe to believe in a time where questions won’t keep us awake and pain won’t keep us down. Safe to believe in open graves and endless days and genuine praise.”

Pastor/author Rick Warren has said, “Easter shows us God’s amazing love….. it’s important to remember that Easter is not some memorial to a nice, good religious teacher who lived 2,000 years ago. It’s a celebration of the fact that he is alive today.”

Easter explains everything about our faith. It means I can have a personal relationship with God now and throughout eternity in heaven, where I will see Him and many loved ones already there.

— Jan White has compiled a collection of her columns in her book, “Everyday Faith for Daily Life.”