2021 Daily Devotion - Day 376
Easter
The Christian faith stands or falls on the validity of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. If Jesus was not truly raised from the dead, then everything He promised cannot be fulfilled and everything He proclaimed is a lie. Some like to say they only see Jesus as a great moral teacher. But if a great moral leader is all He was, and He had not risen from the dead, then He was a liar. And you cannot be a great moral teacher if you are a liar.
The Christian faith stands or falls on the validity of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. If Jesus was not truly raised from the dead, then everything He promised cannot be fulfilled and everything He proclaimed is a lie. Some like to say they only see Jesus as a great moral teacher. But if a great moral leader is all He was, and He had not risen from the dead, then He was a liar. And you cannot be a great moral teacher if you are a liar.
There are many who have come up with theories to explain away the resurrection of Jesus. One is called the “Swoon Theory”, which claims that Jesus never really died on the cross but only passed out or “swooned”. This theory goes on to state that the cooling effects of the tomb revived Him, and He then appeared to His followers as one who conquered death.
Yet, if you believe the “Swoon Theory”, you will have to believe some other things as well. You will have to believe that Jesus pushed a one-ton stone from the entrance of the tomb, He fought off Roman guards (who were the Navy Seals of their time), and walked many miles with wounded feet to appear to His disciples as one who conquered death. Then you will have to believe the disciples spent the rest of their lives proclaiming a lie.
Josh McDowell, in his book “Evidence that Demands a Verdict”, makes this comment: “A man will die for what he believes to be the truth, though in fact it may be a lie; but no one ever dies for what they know is a lie.” All of the disciples, except for John, died a martyr’s death. Did they do so for a lie? Would you? These disciples were basically saying “we saw Jesus dead and then alive again three days later…. You can torture us or even kill us but that is what happened”. They lived this out because they knew what they saw was true.
In other words, these disciples and others were eye witnesses to the resurrection. We would accept an eye witness account in a court of law. Here is how the Apostle Paul describes it:
1 Corinthians 15:3-8 NRSV
For I handed on to you as of first importance what I in turn had received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers and sisters at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me.
This Easter, you can count on the Resurrection of Jesus to be true. Turn your life over to Him. Allow Him to be your Lord and Savior, and you will be amazed by what He will do in and through your life.
Pray with me:
Heavenly Father, we rejoice in the great truth that our Lord Jesus Christ has been victorious over sin, death and the grave. Use this truth to transform us to be the people You are calling us to be. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Yours because of Him,
Pastor John R. Steward
Senior Pastor
Mount of Olives Church
Yet, if you believe the “Swoon Theory”, you will have to believe some other things as well. You will have to believe that Jesus pushed a one-ton stone from the entrance of the tomb, He fought off Roman guards (who were the Navy Seals of their time), and walked many miles with wounded feet to appear to His disciples as one who conquered death. Then you will have to believe the disciples spent the rest of their lives proclaiming a lie.
Josh McDowell, in his book “Evidence that Demands a Verdict”, makes this comment: “A man will die for what he believes to be the truth, though in fact it may be a lie; but no one ever dies for what they know is a lie.” All of the disciples, except for John, died a martyr’s death. Did they do so for a lie? Would you? These disciples were basically saying “we saw Jesus dead and then alive again three days later…. You can torture us or even kill us but that is what happened”. They lived this out because they knew what they saw was true.
In other words, these disciples and others were eye witnesses to the resurrection. We would accept an eye witness account in a court of law. Here is how the Apostle Paul describes it:
1 Corinthians 15:3-8 NRSV
For I handed on to you as of first importance what I in turn had received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers and sisters at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me.
This Easter, you can count on the Resurrection of Jesus to be true. Turn your life over to Him. Allow Him to be your Lord and Savior, and you will be amazed by what He will do in and through your life.
Pray with me:
Heavenly Father, we rejoice in the great truth that our Lord Jesus Christ has been victorious over sin, death and the grave. Use this truth to transform us to be the people You are calling us to be. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Yours because of Him,
Pastor John R. Steward
Senior Pastor
Mount of Olives Church
Comments
Post a Comment