As I was reading my Bible today, I read 2 Timothy 2:8, which says, "Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David, as preached in my gospel." Seeing as we are coming upon Easter, I thought I'd take a moment to comment on the Resurrection of Jesus.
Paul tells Timothy to remember the Resurrection. The Resurrection of Christ is an essential doctrine to the Christian faith, as Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 15. In our day, however, many have denied the Resurrection. They try to make Christianity and the Bible more acceptable by saying that miraculous events like a body coming back to the dead couldn't actually happen. They say that it's a metaphor. They say Jesus was just a teacher who showed us the path of sacrifice. They water down the message of the Gospel.
The Resurrection was not merely a side note to the Apostles. It was the foundation of their ministries. Read the New Testament and try to ignore the Resurrection--it's extremely difficult. The Resurrection was the verification of all that Christ had said and done. It was the empowering of the Gospel.
The Resurrection is one of the best-documented events in history. We have four accounts recorded for us. How do we know about things that happened thousands of years ago? People wrote them down. How many events do we accept as historical with far less evidence than we have of Christ's resurrection? So far as historical validity, the Resurrection is well documented.
At the end of the day, however, the Church of Jesus Christ is the best evidence of the Resurrection. Do you remember Gamaliel? Acts 5 shares some of his wisdom. He said, "Men of Israel, consider carefully what you intend to do to these men. Some time ago Theudas appeared, claiming to be somebody, and about four hundred men rallied to him. He was killed, all his followers were dispersed, and it all came to nothing. After him, Judas the Galilean appeared in the days of the census and led a band of people in revolt. He too was killed, and all his followers were scattered. Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.”
Many men have suffered and died for a living Christ. They suffered because they knew that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. Their hopes were not disappointed.
Paul tells Timothy to remember the Resurrection. The Resurrection of Christ is an essential doctrine to the Christian faith, as Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 15. In our day, however, many have denied the Resurrection. They try to make Christianity and the Bible more acceptable by saying that miraculous events like a body coming back to the dead couldn't actually happen. They say that it's a metaphor. They say Jesus was just a teacher who showed us the path of sacrifice. They water down the message of the Gospel.
The Resurrection was not merely a side note to the Apostles. It was the foundation of their ministries. Read the New Testament and try to ignore the Resurrection--it's extremely difficult. The Resurrection was the verification of all that Christ had said and done. It was the empowering of the Gospel.
The Resurrection is one of the best-documented events in history. We have four accounts recorded for us. How do we know about things that happened thousands of years ago? People wrote them down. How many events do we accept as historical with far less evidence than we have of Christ's resurrection? So far as historical validity, the Resurrection is well documented.
At the end of the day, however, the Church of Jesus Christ is the best evidence of the Resurrection. Do you remember Gamaliel? Acts 5 shares some of his wisdom. He said, "Men of Israel, consider carefully what you intend to do to these men. Some time ago Theudas appeared, claiming to be somebody, and about four hundred men rallied to him. He was killed, all his followers were dispersed, and it all came to nothing. After him, Judas the Galilean appeared in the days of the census and led a band of people in revolt. He too was killed, and all his followers were scattered. Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.”
Many men have suffered and died for a living Christ. They suffered because they knew that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. Their hopes were not disappointed.
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