The resurrection of Jesus gives hope

Do you know what Easter is all about? People celebrate the Easter Bunny and have Easter egg hunts or large gatherings for food, fun and games. I remember as a child our family had a cake in the shape of a cross with yellow and white icing. It was delicious, but I wondered why anyone would want to eat the cross. There is no doubt strange practices get mixed into our holiday traditions. Let us not forget the resurrection of Jesus.

As a Christian, I try to keep the focus on Jesus at Christmas and Easter. We may not know the exact date of Jesus' birth or resurrection, but history testifies of his reality. Followers of Jesus hold the resurrection as a foundational Christian belief. As someone said, Jesus' birth proves his humanity, and his resurrection proves his deity.

There have always been people who refuse to believe. Even the Apostle Thomas did not believe until he touched the risen Lord's hands and side. The Apostle Paul discusses faith in the risen Lord in 1 Corinthians 15.

Early in the chapter, Paul points out those who believed in vain. This means their faith was incomplete; they either did not take their commitment to follow Christ seriously, or they were lacking clear understanding of the Gospel. The author then explains Jesus died for our sins according to the Scriptures, he was buried, he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.

He goes on to tell how Jesus had appeared to over 500 people. Then he referenced his own conversion story. Clearly, the early church believed Jesus was resurrected from the dead and ascended bodily into heaven. The disciples scattered when Jesus was arrested, and Peter denied being a follower of Jesus three times. There was a dramatic shift from fear to boldness. Seeing the risen Christ gave them the courage to face death.

There are Old Testament prophecies that foretell Jesus' death, burial and resurrection. Psalm 16:10 says the faithful one would not see decay. Jesus died, but he did not physically decay because he rose from the dead. Psalm 22 gives an accurate depiction of what took place during the crucifixion and was written around 500 years before Jesus was born. The text describes his pierced hands and feet. Jesus recites a portion of this Psalm on the cross, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me." In Isaiah 53, we see Jesus as the suffering servant who was despised and rejected. The Bible says it is by his stripes we are healed. Jesus was flogged, and his flesh was torn as he shed his blood on the cross. His sacrifice saved us from our sin.

Jesus predicted his own death and resurrection by describing the temple being destroyed and rebuilt in three days (John 2:19), and Jonah being three days in the belly of the fish (Matthew 12). And in Matthew 16:21, we read, "From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised."

Apparently, the disciples refused to listen to Jesus, and forgot about his prediction until after the resurrection. John 2:22 says, "When therefore he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed the Scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken."

Back to 1 Corinthians 15, Paul teaches there will be a resurrection of the dead and a final judgment. If Jesus is not raised from the dead, there is no hope beyond this life. But Christ has been raised from the dead. Death is swallowed up in victory and we have a living hope.

To become a Christian, Romans 10:9--10 instructs us, "If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart, one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved."