Happy Easter everyone! We live in a world that would like to secularize every meaningful milestone that the Christian has, but Easter is not about a bunny bringing eggs and candy, it is the pinnacle of hope that we have in Jesus. Jesus himself talked quite a bit about how he would die, and when some Pharisees (the religious crowd) asked for a sign from him to prove he was who he said he was, Jesus referenced his coming resurrection and defeat of death when he said to them "A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth," (Matthew 12:39-40 NIV). When Jesus was crucified, his faithful followers and students were disheartened and scattered, wondering if their hope was misplaced. Until...on the third day a miracle took place. An angel at the tomb told those present that Jesus had risen and would go ahead of them into Galilee. Those guarding the tomb "...were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men," (Matthew 28:4 NIV).
What followed was absolutely insane by the world's standards: Jesus returned, with visible wounds where he was pierced, and he revealed himself to many and performed many miracles, "Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written," (John 21:25 NIV). Jesus revealed himself first to those closest to himself, but then to tons of people who would serve as witnesses: "After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time..." (1 Corinthians 15:6 NIV). This would provide the momentum needed to spread the good news about Jesus throughout the world, and is still spreading today. The evidence was overwhelming and in the face of fierce opposition and persecution, the early church found it worth dying for.
Easter is not just a children's story. Jesus is who he said he was. The proof he left is staggering. For those of us who have placed our faith in him already, Easter is the hope we have in a troubled world. We can understand what Jesus meant when he said, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world,"
(John 16:33 NIV).
To those who do not yet know Him, He is worth investigating. He came as a servant, lived in the same broken world that we do, experienced the pain and brokenness of this world firsthand, led by example and modeled the life He calls us to live as well.
He is risen.
He is risen indeed!
