The Reality Of The Resurrection

Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live.

ARE WE REALLY supposed to take literally everything Jesus said? Yes—because the authority of Jesus’ words is tied to the reality of his resurrection. Think about it. If Jesus wasn’t resurrected, then all of Christianity is a hoax and Christians are the most pitiably stupid people on the planet.^a

But if Jesus did rise from the dead; if he did what no one else in all of history has ever done or will ever do—conquer death—then merely accepting what Jesus said isn’t enough. We must orient everything in our lives around what he said.

Now, some people don’t even believe that Jesus died on a cross, much less rose from the grave three days later. Many Muslims, for example, suggest that it was merely a man who looked like Jesus who was crucified that day. Others believe that though Jesus was crucified, he didn’t actually die on the cross; he merely fainted and was unconscious, so people mistakenly thought he was dead. Others maintain that the tomb wasn’t empty. Some people believe that when the women went to the tomb that first Easter morning, in their grief and shock over Jesus’ death they went to the wrong tomb and mistakenly thought he had risen. Some claim that the disciples stole the body of Jesus. Others allege that the disciples were merely delusional—or hallucinating—when they claimed they had seen Jesus alive after he died.

Nevertheless, hundreds of people claimed to have seen Jesus, some of whom ate, drank, and talked with him. Hallucinations don’t normally eat and drink. Besides, in first-century Palestine, it was not in the disciples’ best interests to proclaim the resurrection of Jesus, knowing that they could (and would) die for it.

Why belabor this point? Because if Jesus indeed rose from the dead, then we absolutely must listen to everything he says. The reality of his resurrection validates both the truthfulness and timelessness of his teaching. A resurrected Jesus is not just another religious teacher whose thoughts and opinions we can take or leave according to our preferences. Regardless of what we might say (or decide), Jesus is Lord. Consequently, regardless of what Jesus might say, we have no other option but to trust his word.

Praise the risen Christ for his power over sin and death. Thank him for the promise of resurrection to all who trust in him.