“And if Christ has not risen, then our preaching is in vain [it amounts to nothing] and your faith is devoid of truth and is fruitless [without effect, empty, imaginary, and unfounded.” 1 Cor 15:14 (Amplified)
The man Jesus; contentious in life, but even more contentious in death. He walked the earth claiming to be the Son of God and tendered His impeccable credentials by the mighty and sometimes never-heard of miraculous works that were accomplished by His hands. To the believer, He fulfilled all prophecies, hundreds of them, of what the Messiah would be – His life, ministry and death. However, to the sceptics and critics, He was lightly regarded as being no more than a charlatan, albeit a very powerful and charismatic one. You either love or loath Him and just as He Himself had prophesied, the controversy He engenders will cause division within nations, families and even fracture the normally close relationship between parents and their children. He never promised worldly grandeur to His followers. On the contrary, He promised blood and toil, pain and persecution, as well as the joy of having our names written in the book of life. Millions have since lived for Him and millions more have died with His name on their lips, crying Jesus! Jesus! Oh! What a man.
He was a man who was killed but simply refused to die. He has more conspirational theorists than any other individual. He has been prodded and poked at many times too numerous to number. Some said He never died. He only swooned and later revived. They questioned how can He be resurrected when He never died in the first place? Others maintained that someone took His place while He went underground and later escaped Palestine. He married and had children. The official Jewish line was that His body was stolen and hidden by His distraught followers. Although the likelihood of that happening is impossible given that the Roman soldiers charged with guarding His body did so on the pain of death. This only proves that when man’s heart is calloused nothing, however depraved is beyond his thinking. Ultimately, what this argument boils down to is whether you believe or disbelieve Jesus’ claim to being the Messiah.
It is just not enough to believe that Jesus is a prophet or that He is a good man who did many good things. You can’t be evasive or philosophical or dismiss His claim, since your response is what determines both your temporal and eternal destiny. You have to personally and truthfully respond to His question – Who do you say that I am? You have to tell Him whether His assertion to being God is right or wrong. You have to tell Jesus Christ that He is right and that His word is true or you have to pronounce Him a liar and repudiate His claim. Whatever decision you ultimately make, it will be a step of faith that either leads you into enjoying a wonderful relationship with God or sets you on the path to eternal perdition. I can say for myself that I know beyond a shadow of doubt that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He is also my Lord. He died and rose again just as He has said and His death has given me life. So, if you are similarly persuaded, please join me in declaring “Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Hallelujah!
Prayer:
Lord, I thank you for reaching out to someone like me and opening my eyes to your wondrous truths. I know that it has nothing to do with what I have done and that I owe everything to your grace. As we mark your resurrection today, I ask that you extend that grace to as many as are sincerely seeking you all over the world so that they too might know you and experience the same joy that I have in Jesus’ name. Amen.