He Conquered Death That We May Live
The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the cornerstone of the Christian faith. Without it the believer has no hope for this life or for the life to come. The apostle Paul wrote, "And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain" (1 Cor. 15:17). Our belief in this great teaching is not based upon some religious feeling or upon an unfounded idea about what may have happened in the past. Nor are we talking about an isolated rumor, but about a historical fact with solid evidence to support it.
Many over the centuries have discussed the biblical accounts of Jesus' resurrection. They wanted to see if sufficient information was available to make a case that would hold up. Most will agree that they concluded that Christ's resurrection was one of the most well-established facts of history!
Here are a couple of thought provoking realities about the resurrection. "There are but two essential requirements: 1. Has anyone cheated death and proved it? 2. Is it available to me? What message would we have to tell if Jesus had not risen? It is nothing for men to die, even great men. Men of science like Darwin and Sagen have followed all their predecessors to the grave. The great humanitarians, world leaders, and founders of religion are all dead. Here is a list of those men: Confucius' tomb -- occupied. Buddha's tomb -- occupied. Mohammed's tomb -- occupied. Jesus' tomb -- empty! Of all the men who have left their religious mark on human history, only Jesus has conquered death. It is the fact of the resurrection that sets the Gospel of Jesus apart from every other message. Argue as you will, there is no point in following someone who is dead!." The resurrection of Jesus Christ is a reality. Countless changed lives testify to this effect.
So why has the story of Jesus refused to die? Is it because of His teachings? Maybe! You can go to any college campus and study the teachings of Socrates, Sartre, Marx, and many others; but their lives are not the subject of weekly sermons, nor do their teachings inspire others to travel to the remote corners of the world and endure incredible hardships to make converts in their name.
Is it because Jesus claimed to be God? Maybe! Other men have made the same claim, but no one living today believes them to be true. The story of Jesus has refused to die for one unmistakable fact; the resurrection. Anyone who wants to destroy Christianity and discredit Jesus Christ need only to disprove that the resurrection occurred. And therein lies their problem, and Christianity's triumph. Disproving the resurrection has proven impossible. It can be mocked, questioned, and disbelieved, but it cannot be dismissed. The resurrection is an event that defies explanation.
For example, here are historical facts generally conceded by modern scholars and skeptics.
Jesus was a real person and was crucified. (His death is accepted as a historical reality.) He was buried and the place of His burial was well known. After the death of Christ, the disciples fled in despair, their hopes of a new kingdom crushed. The tomb of Jesus was empty on Sunday morning as reported. "Something" happened to convince hundreds of people that they saw Jesus alive after He was known to be crucified. Encounters with Him took place over a period of 40 days occurring at different times and places. Jesus was observed engaging in different activities such as walking, talking, eating, and cooking. His disciples were transformed and emboldened to fearlessly proclaim the resurrection of Christ in the city that saw Him crucified. Two notable skeptics; James, the brother of Jesus, and Saul of Tarsus, became zealous converts. And of course, the adoption of a new covenant in His blood to finish off the list.
The explanation of the empty tomb accounts for all of these facts of history. The fact is that there really is only one explanation; Jesus actually arose from the dead as the Bible proclaims. It is the resurrection that makes the Gospel a story that must be told - in every house and hut, on every street and path, in every city and village, throughout all the world to every man and woman and child. Happy Resurrection Day!
Many over the centuries have discussed the biblical accounts of Jesus' resurrection. They wanted to see if sufficient information was available to make a case that would hold up. Most will agree that they concluded that Christ's resurrection was one of the most well-established facts of history!
Here are a couple of thought provoking realities about the resurrection. "There are but two essential requirements: 1. Has anyone cheated death and proved it? 2. Is it available to me? What message would we have to tell if Jesus had not risen? It is nothing for men to die, even great men. Men of science like Darwin and Sagen have followed all their predecessors to the grave. The great humanitarians, world leaders, and founders of religion are all dead. Here is a list of those men: Confucius' tomb -- occupied. Buddha's tomb -- occupied. Mohammed's tomb -- occupied. Jesus' tomb -- empty! Of all the men who have left their religious mark on human history, only Jesus has conquered death. It is the fact of the resurrection that sets the Gospel of Jesus apart from every other message. Argue as you will, there is no point in following someone who is dead!." The resurrection of Jesus Christ is a reality. Countless changed lives testify to this effect.
So why has the story of Jesus refused to die? Is it because of His teachings? Maybe! You can go to any college campus and study the teachings of Socrates, Sartre, Marx, and many others; but their lives are not the subject of weekly sermons, nor do their teachings inspire others to travel to the remote corners of the world and endure incredible hardships to make converts in their name.
Is it because Jesus claimed to be God? Maybe! Other men have made the same claim, but no one living today believes them to be true. The story of Jesus has refused to die for one unmistakable fact; the resurrection. Anyone who wants to destroy Christianity and discredit Jesus Christ need only to disprove that the resurrection occurred. And therein lies their problem, and Christianity's triumph. Disproving the resurrection has proven impossible. It can be mocked, questioned, and disbelieved, but it cannot be dismissed. The resurrection is an event that defies explanation.
For example, here are historical facts generally conceded by modern scholars and skeptics.
Jesus was a real person and was crucified. (His death is accepted as a historical reality.) He was buried and the place of His burial was well known. After the death of Christ, the disciples fled in despair, their hopes of a new kingdom crushed. The tomb of Jesus was empty on Sunday morning as reported. "Something" happened to convince hundreds of people that they saw Jesus alive after He was known to be crucified. Encounters with Him took place over a period of 40 days occurring at different times and places. Jesus was observed engaging in different activities such as walking, talking, eating, and cooking. His disciples were transformed and emboldened to fearlessly proclaim the resurrection of Christ in the city that saw Him crucified. Two notable skeptics; James, the brother of Jesus, and Saul of Tarsus, became zealous converts. And of course, the adoption of a new covenant in His blood to finish off the list.
The explanation of the empty tomb accounts for all of these facts of history. The fact is that there really is only one explanation; Jesus actually arose from the dead as the Bible proclaims. It is the resurrection that makes the Gospel a story that must be told - in every house and hut, on every street and path, in every city and village, throughout all the world to every man and woman and child. Happy Resurrection Day!
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