An Easter story

The story is told of a young man who wanted to become famous by starting a new religion. He wanted it to be a world-wide religion that would be embraced by millions of people. So he first sought some advice from an older and wiser man of faith. He asked, “Sir, what advice could you give me for starting a very successful religion?”

The older man thoughtfully replied, “The best way would be for you to be killed, buried and then rise up from your grave three days later so that people can see you alive again. Now it might be hard to find someone to kill you, although I am sure people would bury you. But to rise up from the dead three days later…that will definitely be the hardest part!”

And yes – that was the hardest part 2000 years ago when the Lord Jesus Christ was crucified, buried and rose up from the dead three days later. But Christ actually did it and was seen by eyewitnesses. The Apostle Peter testified: “…God raised him from the dead on the third day and caused him to be seen. He was not seen by all the people, but by witnesses whom God had already chosen – by us who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead.” (Acts 10:40-41) Jesus’ resurrection from the dead is a fact of history, and that is what we are celebrating tomorrow on Easter Sunday.

However, Christ died, was buried and was raised from the dead – not to start another new religion – but to prove that he really can save us from the penalty for our sins and give us a brand new life. His resurrection also guarantees that we, too, can be raised from the dead some day and experience eternal life with him in heaven. The Apostle Paul said: “By his power God raised the Lord from the dead, and he will raise us also.” (1 Corinthians 6:14)

So the resurrection of Jesus Christ is our personal guarantee of new life and life after death – if we have truly received him by faith as our Savior and Lord. That’s the rest of the Easter story from the Bible for each one of us: “If you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9)