Christians celebrate Easter Sunday throughout Fresno

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- As the focus moves to Easter, the lessons of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ get to be the center of attention.

"I think it is the most significant day on the Christian calendar. This is the linchpin of faith. If Jesus Christ was not raised from the dead then his birth, his messages, his teachings, his miracles would all have been a waste," said New Hope Church Pastor Tim Rolen.

Rolen says the message of the day applies to everyone, whether they have faith or not.

"If you know that someday you're going to die, the only answer to death is resurrection," said Rolen.

Music is one of the keys to leading a lot of people to the answers. The same is true in southwest Fresno.

"And here at Saint's Rest, I mean we go crazy on Easter Sunday morning. The church is packed," said Pastor DJ Criner.

The packed churches are marking the day Jesus came back to life, three days after he died on the cross at the Mount of Calvary.

Criner says it is the reason for the Christian faith and reason for hope in every congregation.

"And even today when we look across our nation, we're living in a very hopeless nation with gun violence with racial inequality, with pin and trouble, but today just imagine everyone setting aside their differences and what's going on at Capitol Hill and just looking at the hill called Calvary and what Jesus did for us," said Criner.

In the music, a reminder of what the Easter celebration means for Christians.

"He is alive and I'm forgiven. Heaven's gates are open wide," said Criner.