He is Risen!

Let’s take time to focus on our celebration of the cornerstone of Christianity—the resurrection.

The Scriptures themselves show us just how important it is.

“For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures ... .” -1 Corinthians 15:3-4

Christ’s death on the cross for the sins of the world is the apex of God’s love for us. Christ’s resurrection is the apex of the revolution being launched against the Kingdom of Darkness.

If there is no resurrection, evil wins. Because of the resurrection, righteousness triumphs.

If Christ Jesus has not risen, then you and I are still in our sins—without God, without hope. Period. If Christ is not alive and on His throne, then every church door in the world should be closed. If Christ is not alive, then do as you please and gratify every selfish, evil, prideful passion you may feel or desire.

But if Christ Jesus is risen, then the revolution has begun, and I am to be a part of the Earth-shattering, risk-taking, courageous, revolutionary message of Christ’s love for everyone.

Jesus being alive, my friends, is the only hope of the world and the only hope that you and I need to live by.

“He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.” -Romans 4:25

And Jesus is alive. Just listen to what some legal experts have to say about the historical evidence of the resurrection.

Professor Thomas Arnold, author of “The History of Rome” and holder of the Chair of Modern History at Oxford University, said, “I know of no one fact in the history of mankind which is proved by better and fuller evidence of every sort, to the understanding of a fair inquirer, than the great sign which God hath given us that Christ died and rose again from the dead.”

Another who understood how to evaluate legal evidence was Lord Darling, who was a one-time Chief Justice of England. He said, “... no intelligent jury in the world could fail to bring in the verdict that the resurrection story is true.”

If Christ truly was raised supernaturally from the dead by God, you and I can rightly and truthfully call people in our circle of influence to repent of their sins and trust Christ alone for new life.

We should be telling others of the joy that death has no victory over those who look to Christ alone.

Do you know who was the first believer after Christ’s death? It was the Roman soldier at the cross: “‘Surely this man was the Son of God (Mark 15:39)!’”

Even doubting Thomas fell at the feet of the risen Christ saying, “‘My Lord and my God (John 20:28)!’” This was his soul-shaking, death-defying commitment that cost him his life.

Thomas the apostle shouted the message that Christ is alive and is to be trusted alone as he was pierced with a pine spear, tortured with red-hot plates, and buried alive in India.

Christ’s resurrection radicalized Thomas’ life to the point that he gave his life for others. You and I must ask, where is the passion of Thomas today?

Go. Tell someone this weekend what great things God has done for you. And make sure they know He has risen just as He said.

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