Monday, May 2, 2011
1 Corinthians 15:17 If Christ is not risen, your faith is futile, you are still in your sins!
CHRIST'S RESURRECTION -- OUR PROOF
What do you suppose the disciples thought about that Friday night after Jesus' crucifixion and all day Saturday as they huddled together behind locked doors in fear and bewilderment? I'm sure many things went through their minds, but it was all gloom and doom. The Emmaus disciples summed it up, "But we had hoped that it was He who was going to redeem Israel." Now they lost all hope of that. Jesus was dead.
I would guess, as much as they may have tried to suppress it, the haunting words of Deuteronomy 21:23 kept popping up in their minds: "Anyone who is hung on a tree is under God's curse." The man they had believed to be their Messiah and Lord; the man they had confessed to be the Son of the living God; had died by being hung on a tree. What other conclusion could they come to but that Jesus died under the curse of God? That's what Scripture says.
How could Jesus possibly be the Son of God and the Messiah sent by God, if He died under God's curse? Could they believe anything Jesus taught? Was it all just a lie? What about everything He said about God's forgiveness? Was that a lie also? How could Jesus give God's forgiveness if He Himself was under God's curse?
What a horrible few days that must have been for disciples! What a horrible life it would be for us if Jesus had not risen from the dead.
But Paul goes on to confidently say, "But now Christ is risen from the dead!" (v. 20) And if we want further proof, he gives us the whole list of eye witnesses. Well over 500 people saw Jesus alive from the dead and confirm the fact of His resurrection for us.
That changes everything. Jesus' resurrection is our proof of everything Jesus ever said and did. During the Easter season we explore the many things that Christ's resurrection proves for us. Truly it is reason for us to rejoice. He is Risen indeed -- Hallelujah!
