The Anglican Bishop of Lagos West, Rt. Rev. James Olusola Odedeji, has declared that the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ remains the most decisive event in human history — and the only credible answer to humanity’s twin enemies of sin and death.
Odedeji made the assertion on Sunday, April 5, while delivering an Easter sermon at the Archbishop Vining Memorial Church Cathedral in Ikeja, speaking on the theme “The Empty Tomb” to hundreds of worshippers who gathered to mark the resurrection of Christ.
Drawing extensively from Scripture, the bishop argued that Jesus’ resurrection was not merely a theological concept but a transformative event that shifted human existence from the natural to the supernatural for all who believe.
“With His death, Jesus transformed our ultimate defeat into eternal victory,” he said. “His resurrection is God’s answer to man’s greatest enemies — sin and death.”
Odedeji was emphatic that Christian believers do not truly die in the ultimate sense.
“What happens to Christians is that they pass on; they don’t pass out. They pass on to continue life in another realm of glory,” he told the congregation.
Anchoring his message in the symbolism of the empty tomb, the bishop said its significance extended beyond the historical — serving as an enduring declaration of victory over guilt, sin and demonic forces for every believer.
“Jesus paid the price in full. The empty tomb is an indication of our victory over guilt and the punishment of sin.
“His death and resurrection give us victory over the devil and demonic forces,” he said.
He further assured Christians that their spiritual battle had already been won before they entered it.
“We fight in victory, not for victory, because Jesus already won the battle for us. We cannot be defeated,” Odedeji declared, describing believers as “ambassadors of the conquered grave.”
The bishop also addressed the historical credibility of the resurrection, challenging sceptics to account for details that, in his view, no human conspiracy could explain.
He pointed to the neatly folded burial cloths found inside the empty tomb as evidence that contradicted the narrative — circulated by those who bribed Roman soldiers — that the disciples had secretly removed the body.
“For those who bribed the soldiers at the tomb to lie and say His body was stolen, the question remains: how could the disciples have rolled away the stone and then carefully folded His burial cloths inside the tomb?” he asked.
Odedeji noted that in over 2,000 years, no argument had successfully disproved the resurrection, citing multiple biblical accounts of Jesus appearing to His disciples and others after His death.
He urged Christians to anchor their lives in faith rather than sight, warning that demanding visible proof before believing was a posture that undermined the very foundation of the Christian walk.
“The empty tomb shows we walk by faith, not by sight,” he said, describing the resurrection as the cornerstone of Christian faith.
“The most important date in Christianity is the day Jesus rose from the dead. His resurrection proved that love is stronger than hate, light is stronger than darkness, and life is stronger than death,” the bishop concluded.
The service, which ran for approximately three hours, was attended by dignitaries including the Registrar of the Diocese, Prince Bambo Adesanya; the bishop’s wife, Dr Lydia Odedeji; former Chairman of the International Chamber of Commerce Nigeria, Olusegun Osunkeye; and the Legal Secretary of the Diocese, Pheola Caulcrick.
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