EASTER: A different measuring rod!

A lawyer asked the witness:  “Now, Mr. Jones did you or did you not, on the date in question, or at any other time, previously or subsequently, say or even intimate to the defendant or anyone else, whether friend or acquaintance or in fact a stranger, that the statement imputed to you, whether just or unjust, and denied by the plaintiff, was a matter of no consequence or otherwise?  Answer!  Did you or did you not? The witness pondered for a little while and then said, “Did I or did I not WHAT!!!?

Luke 24:2–8 They found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance…but they didn’t find the body of the Lord Jesus. As they stood there puzzled, two men suddenly appeared to them, clothed in dazzling robes…and asked, “Why are you looking among the dead for someone who is alive? He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead! 

Isn’t it amazing how we humans can become so focused on something small that we don’t see the “BIG” picture? There is a saying: “You can’t see the forest for the Trees!” This has happened with Easter! “It was on this date this time of year”, “He was wrapped in a sheet or was it in strips”, “The 3 days were w24 hour days”, “No, they were partial days”…on and on - ad infinausia! I know, I know, that’s not a real word…which makes my point! I am not seeking to be grammatically correct; I am endeavoring to communicate how sickening arguing about details can be!

Hear is the BIG picture – a DEAD man came back to life! When we put that in our pipe and smoke it, it changes everything! 

The resurrection is the real issue concerning Christ! No matter what else He did, He claimed He would rise from the dead! 

If He did not then: 

Christ is a liar!

Our faith is a joke!

We are false prophets! 

The dead truly are gone!

I could go on. Still the same is true if the resurrection is true. Consider this:

Because of the resurrection – We are:

* Commissioned with a Calling.

* Appointed an Ambassador of God.

* Enlisted as a Soldier in a spiritual war.

* Competing as an Athlete in the race of life.

This truth leads individuals to become all things to all men to help them know Christ and possess eternal life. 

The "So What": In the 1700's two young men became slaves so they could go and share Christ to African slaves in the West Indies. How important is Christ's leading in your life? What are you willing to allow Him to accomplish through you? 

EASTER: The day after – two options.

I remember growing up as a “Army Brat” and constantly finding myself frustrated because I could not tell anyone what rank my father was. In his closet he had three uniforms all with different ranks even though I never saw him in a uniform. Also, I had been drilled by my mother that when asked I was to only say, “My daddy works for the government”. I was left with two options: Either my father was a liar or I did not understand the whole picture. When I discovered, after he retired, he was actually a spy in the CIA I saw “part of” the whole picture, not all of it…otherwise he would have to kill me! ☺

Can you imagine the emotional roller coaster the disciples had been on in a three day span? Crushed on Friday as they witnessed Jesus’s arrest, fleeing in fear, and seeing or knowing He was crucified! Then the confusion, fear and joy when confronted with an empty tomb, women’s testimonies, and a Risen Christ!

We 2,000 years later are left with only two options. Paul confronted this reality as he wrote the Church in Corinth.

1 Corinthians 15:12–19 But tell me this—since we preach that Christ rose from the dead, why are some of you saying there will be no resurrection of the dead? For if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, then all our preaching is useless, and your faith is useless. And we apostles would all be lying about God—for we have said that God raised Christ from the grave. But that can’t be true if there is no resurrection of the dead. And if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is useless and you are still guilty of your sins. In that case, all who have died believing in Christ are lost! And if our hope in Christ is only for this life, we are more to be pitied than anyone in the world. 

Either, there was no body in the tomb, and they met a Risen Christ, or they stole the body and lied about it. I want to take some time to digest this because most of the world, especially the folks that claim we are ignorant and superstitious, and they are so intelligent, claim the disciples lied. Tomorrow I will share what the outcome of that lie would be if it was the truth. Today I would just encourage you to question what you believe about Jesus. 

The “So What”: How much is Jesus in your life? Is He just an added ingredient, that you think about once in a while, once a week & special occasions; or when you’re in trouble? Do you talk to Him? When you do, is He far away and a stranger, or is your conversation intimate and with a friend? Finish this thought: 

Without Jesus my life would be -

EASTER: It’s not because you can’t…it’s because you won’t!

A customer walked into my clothing shop and asked to see the pants that were advertised in the paper that day. “We don’t have an ad in the paper today,” I told her. She insisted I was wrong, so I got a copy of the paper, and we went through it, eventually landing on an ad for pants from another local store. Exasperated, the customer glared at me and said, “In my newspaper, the ad was for this store!” [source: Edward Oppenheimer, rd.com].

So much of what we do in life is not about what is possible or impossible. It is about what we will allow to be possible! Too many times we try to change our reality based on what we want! 

This day proves that what many believe is impossible – living after death – is possible! It also proves there is one thing impossible!

Consider: 

John 11:17–45 When Jesus arrived at Bethany, he was told that Lazarus had already been in his grave for four days…Jesus…arrived at the tomb…“Roll the stone aside,” Jesus told them…Jesus shouted, “Lazarus, come out!” And the dead man came out.

Luke 8:41-56 There came a man named Jairus…he began to implore Him to come to his house; for he had an only daughter…and she was dying…someone came from the synagogue, saying, “Your daughter has died…Now they were all weeping and lamenting for her; but Jesus said, “Stop weeping, for she has not died, but is asleep.” And they began laughing at Him, knowing that she had died. He, however, took her by the hand and called, saying, “Child, arise!” And her spirit returned, and she got up immediately. 

Consider again: What was impossible was possible! What was considered beyond hope encountered the God of Hope! 

This is the reality - All Possible Because of the Resurrection. This same Truth also does make one thing impossible:

Salvation and fruitful life without Christ!

1 John 5:11–13 And this is what God has testified: He has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have God’s Son does not have life. I have written this to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know you have eternal life. 

John 3:16  “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 

John 15:5  “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me, you can do nothing.

The “So What”: Will you consider what Jesus did for you? Will you live based on circumstances this world gives you, or by choices you make? Will you include God in those decisions? Are you in relationship with your Creator?