He is Risen!

As Christians, we believe that Jesus really did rise from the dead.  It wasn’t just a dream, it wasn’t a vision, it wasn’t a lie made up by the 12 disciples, but it was a real event in time and history. A real event with historical and eye-witness proof.

"Sir Lionel Luckhoo (1914-1997) is considered one of the greatest lawyers in British history. He's recorded in the Guinness Book of World Records as the "World's Most Successful Advocate," with 245 consecutive murder acquittals. He was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II -- twice. Luckhoo declared: "I humbly add I have spent more than 42 years as a defense trial lawyer appearing in many parts of the world and am still in active practice. I have been fortunate to secure a number of successes in jury trials and I say unequivocally the evidence for the Resurrection of Jesus Christ is so overwhelming that it compels acceptance by proof which leaves absolutely no room for doubt." - Lee Strobel

The resurrection is vital for our faith, because the defining event of the Christian faith is the resurrection of Christ.

If he didn’t rise from the dead then our faith is worthless, but if he did, then everything has meaning.

If Jesus rose from the dead then…..

…death is not the end, there is something beyond this life.
   
…what Jesus said about himself really is true. He really was the son of God (God in flesh)!
    
…there is more to life than what we understand here.
     
…there really is a God who was able to raise Jesus from the dead, a God we have to acknowledge, a God we will have to deal with.
     
…death is more than sorrow, loss and grief; it also has with it a hope for more than just these few years. 

This is not all there is....there's more!
    
The resurrection was the defining event of man and defining moment of history.

If Jesus didn’t rise from the dead…then nothing matters, eat drink and be merry….this life is all there is. (Paul, 1 Corinthians 15)

But HE DID RISE FROM THE DEAD!  And for that we celebrate, because of his resurrection we have hope, we have faith, we believe.

The resurrection is the defining event of the Christian faith.  It was a historical event with more evidence than most events of history!

"If Jesus rose from the dead, then you have to accept all that he said; if he didn’t rise from the dead, then why worry about any of what he said? The issue on which everything hangs is not whether or not you like his teaching but whether or not he rose from the dead."  -Timothy Keller 

The resurrection is our line in the sand, our one issue that must be addressed.  If he rose, then he's God.  If he didn't, then nothing matters.  

But, I'm thrilled to say, as I close these Easter thoughts, 

He is Risen!!  He is Risen indeed!  

And he's coming back soon.

Are you ready?