Jesus Offers Us New Life
The story of the real Jesus concludes with the best of all possible endings. A brand new beginning.
Each of the four gospels recounts the story of Jesus’ resurrection and their version of a significant event. The gospel writers all agree on the substance of what happened during the resurrection. But each one of them has a slightly different perspective, a nuance that stands out to them and helps them understand in a better way what truly happened.
Notice all of the facts that Luke recounts; He's careful to point out the time, the place, who what is said, what is felt, and how they responded to all of those things. Why such care? Why was he so meticulous in his research and his writing? It had been his purpose from the very beginning to communicate the divine truth that Jesus offers us new life, the possibility of living life here and now under God's gracious reign and care and blessing.
Each of the four gospels recounts the story of Jesus’ resurrection and their version of a significant event. The gospel writers all agree on the substance of what happened during the resurrection. But each one of them has a slightly different perspective, a nuance that stands out to them and helps them understand in a better way what truly happened.
Notice all of the facts that Luke recounts; He's careful to point out the time, the place, who what is said, what is felt, and how they responded to all of those things. Why such care? Why was he so meticulous in his research and his writing? It had been his purpose from the very beginning to communicate the divine truth that Jesus offers us new life, the possibility of living life here and now under God's gracious reign and care and blessing.
Indispensable Element
Luke shows us a life in which we are free from the power of sin that enslaves us, free from the dread of death that haunts us, and free from the influence of the world that misleads us. What Luke and every other gospel writer want to point out is that the resurrection of Jesus is the validation of the reality of this gift. That is why the resurrection is the indispensable element in the Christian faith. It is the truth without which Christianity would never have existed. At least in the form that you and I would recognize. Here is the thing that I want you to really grasp - Christianity rises or falls on the veracity of this event. If it is true that Jesus is resurrected from the dead, everything that He said is in play.
We need to hear it and live it and receive it. If Jesus is not raised, all the things that he said, well, they're just wishful thinking. The problem is, in our experience, people don't rise from the dead. And if you didn't grow up going to church or hearing this message, perhaps you have had a real struggle in believing it. The only measure of truth that we accept is that which can be empirically proven or verified. If you're honest, you don't see any evidence in this life for life after death. About the only verse in Scripture that you might be able to relate to is Genesis 3:19 which says from dust you came and to dust you will return.
The apostle Peter initially thought the whole idea of a resurrection was bunk, yet he took the initiative to find out for himself if it was true, even though it was a consensus belief among the men that he was with. He wasn't willing to accept the groupthink that was going on. And so, what does he do? He goes to find out for himself because he knows the stakes are too high. He's invested too much already with Jesus. And then when he gets to the tomb, he observes the effects of the resurrection. The tomb is empty except for the linen cloth that Jesus' body had been wrapped in. Now, the fact that Jesus' body was not there was no proof to him. But who steals a body and leaves the shroud behind? And he starts thinking. All of a sudden, he begins to challenge his assumptions, and eventually, he moves from nonsense to wondering. Could it be true? Can it really have happened?
We need to hear it and live it and receive it. If Jesus is not raised, all the things that he said, well, they're just wishful thinking. The problem is, in our experience, people don't rise from the dead. And if you didn't grow up going to church or hearing this message, perhaps you have had a real struggle in believing it. The only measure of truth that we accept is that which can be empirically proven or verified. If you're honest, you don't see any evidence in this life for life after death. About the only verse in Scripture that you might be able to relate to is Genesis 3:19 which says from dust you came and to dust you will return.
The apostle Peter initially thought the whole idea of a resurrection was bunk, yet he took the initiative to find out for himself if it was true, even though it was a consensus belief among the men that he was with. He wasn't willing to accept the groupthink that was going on. And so, what does he do? He goes to find out for himself because he knows the stakes are too high. He's invested too much already with Jesus. And then when he gets to the tomb, he observes the effects of the resurrection. The tomb is empty except for the linen cloth that Jesus' body had been wrapped in. Now, the fact that Jesus' body was not there was no proof to him. But who steals a body and leaves the shroud behind? And he starts thinking. All of a sudden, he begins to challenge his assumptions, and eventually, he moves from nonsense to wondering. Could it be true? Can it really have happened?
Seen By Many Witnesses
If you fast forward in your New Testament to the letter that the Apostle Paul wrote to the church and believers in 1 Corinthians 15:5-37, you read his recounting. Jesus, the risen Jesus was seen by Peter and then the 12. And after that, He was seen by more than 500 of his followers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died.
Then he was seen by James and later by all the apostles. Now, here's what I want you to think about. Paul is writing this letter to the believers in Corinth only 20 years after the events happened. And what he is doing in writing this, he is encouraging and challenging people. If you're struggling with this, if you're not sure that it happened, you can actually go and talk to multiple live witnesses who saw his risen presence. And so this number of eyewitnesses is another cause to wonder and to begin to think about it. Here's the third thing the actions of the original 12 disciples. Later, history records that ten of the 12 original disciples were martyred for their faith. Now we know that people will do all kinds of things in support of a lie. But few people, if any, would be willing to die for a lie.
We get caught up in our heartaches and our headaches, our wounds, our problems, our chronic loss of money, our mortgage, our task, our worries to the point we become blinded to anything outside of our reality. And what Jesus is calling us today to do is to pull up and think a little bit outside of our own lives and where we are. One of the reasons why we don't feel the risen presence of Christ today may indeed be because we have turned inward, and we can't see beyond our own life.
Then he was seen by James and later by all the apostles. Now, here's what I want you to think about. Paul is writing this letter to the believers in Corinth only 20 years after the events happened. And what he is doing in writing this, he is encouraging and challenging people. If you're struggling with this, if you're not sure that it happened, you can actually go and talk to multiple live witnesses who saw his risen presence. And so this number of eyewitnesses is another cause to wonder and to begin to think about it. Here's the third thing the actions of the original 12 disciples. Later, history records that ten of the 12 original disciples were martyred for their faith. Now we know that people will do all kinds of things in support of a lie. But few people, if any, would be willing to die for a lie.
We get caught up in our heartaches and our headaches, our wounds, our problems, our chronic loss of money, our mortgage, our task, our worries to the point we become blinded to anything outside of our reality. And what Jesus is calling us today to do is to pull up and think a little bit outside of our own lives and where we are. One of the reasons why we don't feel the risen presence of Christ today may indeed be because we have turned inward, and we can't see beyond our own life.
Old Testament Points to Jesus
Do you know that there are 300 prophecies in the Old Testament that point to Jesus? And if you want one that just drills down it is Isaiah chapter 53. An old chapter describes Jesus, what his life was like, what he did, and what he accomplished. It was written 700 years before Jesus appears on the scene. You'll be reminded or remember several of the phrases. He was pierced for our transgressions. He was crushed for our iniquities. His punishment brought us peace. And his wounds healed.
Next Steps
If you're struggling with your faith, go back, read Isaiah 53 and get in touch again with all the ways that what Jesus came and what he did was prophesied.