The Resurrection

  The resurrection

The book of Acts records the apostle Paul as saying,

"In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.  

For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead." Acts 17:30,31

This is a core value of the Christian faith. If you do not believe in the resurrection from the dead then you are not a Christian.

That being said everything around the death and resurrection of Jesus can be a stumbling block for many people. The apostle Paul admits this when he writes to the Corinthians saying,

"Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, ...” 1 Corinthians 1:22,23.

The question I would ask those who are not Christians is; considering that the gospel writers were writing about Christ at the very early beginnings of the church. In some cases within living memory of the events. Why would they make a claim that was so, on the surface at least, outrageous. 

If the death and resurrection of Jesus was a lie it would certainly turn people away from the fledgeling faith.

Not only that they would have created the most monumental lie in all history. One that is believed by close to three billion people around the world today.

Please think about it.

The Resurrection of Jesus and You

The Resurrection of Jesus and you
To day is Easter Monday. The day after what Christians consider the most important three day in human history.
Matthew’s gospel records,
“After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. 
There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it.  
His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow.  
The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. 
The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified.  
He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay.  
Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.” 
So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples.  
Suddenly Jesus met them.“Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him.  
Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.” Matthew 28:1-10.
Here we have the account of the Resurrection of Jesus. The women coming to the tomb to find it empty and an angel telling them that Jesus is risen.
This as I noted is the most important moment in all of history as far as Christians are concerned. Jesus rose from the dead. It is because of this we have a way to heaven,
 The Apostle Paul writing to the Romans states,
“That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.  
For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.  
As the Scripture says, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame.”  
For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him,  for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” Romans 10:9-13. 
This offer of Salvation is a free gift of God. The apostle Paul writing,

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—

and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—  

not by works, so that no one can boast.” 

                                                                                 Ephesians 2:8,9.
     All anyone needs to do to get to heaven is simply believe this and accept the Saving Grace God offers through Jesus.
 The apostle Paul writing to the Corinthians also notes,
“But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?  
If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised.  
And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.  
More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised.  
For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either.  
And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.  
Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost.  
If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men. 
But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.  1 Corinthians 15:12-20
Put simply if Christians are wrong and Christ is not risen from the dead then our faith is to no avail. What we believe is useless.
The fact however is Jesus did rise from the dead. He did provide purification for our sins. He did provide a way for us to enter Heaven.
As a Christian I believe what John’s Gospel records Jesus as saying,
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him” John 3:16,17.
I believe Jesus is the Son of God.
C. S. Lewis once wrote,
“He died not for men, but for each man. If each man had been the only man made, He would have done no less.” C.S. Lewis.
My question to you the reader is do you believe this?
         Are you willing to risk where you will spend Eternity on what you believe?
Please think about it.