He is risen

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Published: Thursday, 28 February 2019 16:33

Written by James Dean

Jesus is real. He lived; he died; but he didn't stay dead — and that's why Christians celebrate Easter.

But did it really happen?

It's often said that there's more written proof that Jesus existed than there is to say that Plato or Julius Caesar did. We know that the Romans crucified thousands of people; it's very likely that if Jesus was as radical a leader as the Bible suggests that they may well have killed him too.

However, there's one part of the Easter story on which the whole of Christianity hangs.

Christianity's Achilles heel is the resurrection.

The Apostle Paul recognised that the resurrection of Jesus is fundamental to the Christian faith. He wrote:

For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. (1 Corinthians 15:16-17)

There it is in black and white. The glorious claim of the Christian faith is that you can - through Jesus - have your sin forgiven. If Jesus was not raised from the dead - if that claim can be proved to be fake - then the whole faith is finished, futile, a waste of time.

Look at the evidence

The Jewish leaders at the time understood the implications of a risen saviour and did their best to provide false evidence. They paid the Roman soldiers who guarded the tomb and created a story suggesting that his followers had simply stolen Jesus' body. However, the number of people who actually saw Jesus alive after his crucifixion was in the hundreds and their attempts failed to quash the truth.

When we also consider what it would take for a dozen or so normal Jewish men and women to fabricate such an ornate story as we have in the New Testament, one that completely fulfills thousands of prophecies from what we know as the Old Testament, and then ultimately go to their deaths without buckling under the pressure, it's very hard to conclude that it was all a lie.

In the 2,000 years since plenty of very clever people have tried to prove that Jesus didn't come back from the dead. Every single one of them has failed. Some, given the weight of proof that they themselves have discovered have even become followers of Jesus themselves.

What to do with a problem like Jesus?

The problem is, if the resurrection is true; if the Bible's account is true; if Jesus really did rise from the dead; we have to take seriously everything the Bible says about Jesus, everything he said and did, and those claims are huge and utterly life changing.

But don't take my word for it. Do your own research. Look into the claims of Jesus for yourself. Come to your own conclusion.

The important thing is that you don't just ignore Jesus.

When you actually take the time to read the Bible yourself you'll discover the truth that what Jesus said and promised then is still true now. It is possible for your sin to be forgiven. You can really have the guilt of all the things you've ever done wrong dealt with; the "slate" of your life wiped clean forever.

Come and find out for yourself

If you would like to talk about what this means for you please drop us a line. Come along to any of our services over the Easter period - or before, if you prefer - we'd be delighted to speak with you and we'll give you a copy of Lee Strobel's book, "The Case for Christ" to help you on your journey.

Easter Dates for your diary