Two men ran through the streets of the town, trying to see if the news brought by the women was true. Over the final sprint, one outran the other and arrived on the scene first. Stopping, he stooped down and looked into the space and noticed the linen cloths that had once wrapped a body. Astounded, he didn’t immediately enter. His friend, not hesitating, tucked his head and went inside. He also saw the same linen cloths, with a separate piece lying nearby. He too was dumbfounded. Then the two, staring at the empty, rock-carved tomb, came to realize that something beyond human belief had occurred.
These two men, Peter and John, were standing in the empty tomb where three days and nights earlier,the dead body of their Master and Teacher, Jesus of Nazareth, had been placed (see John20:1-10). Then they remembered what Jesus had told them while He was still in Galilee, ‘the Son of man must be handed over to be crucified and on the third day rise again.’ Could this be true? Was there hope after all?
Matthew’s account goes into detail to show that there were eyewitnesses to an earthquake and that an angel had rolled back the stone covering the tomb entrance. The guards shook with fear to the point of being frozen into inaction (Matthew 28:2-4)
Without the physical Resurrection, two thousand years of history would have gone a begging for such an enormous geographical and political event. No other event in recorded history has reached so far across national,ethnic, linguistic cultural, political and geographical boarders. During the first few centuries,Christ’s message spread with great success across the world without political or military power and prevailed against the ruthless efforts to imprison all those who spoke about the Resurrection.
Jesus was a real historical person who died, was crucified and rose again. Several manuscripts from multiple sources, including Jewish historians, describe a man named Jesus who lived and was crucified. As of today, more than 66,000 early manuscripts from multiple sources which are unaltered show a pattern of consistency in the reliability of the Resurrection account. More than just a fact, the Resurrection creates a connection to God that has been perceived by people from all times, cultures, socioeconomic status, great personalities, across the more than 2000 years of history. Many famous scientists like Blaise Pascal, Johann Kepler, Michael Faraday, and Francis Collins have been influenced and followed our living God.
Christ’s resurrection paved the way for us to experience and to know God better and to live the abundant life He has for us (John 10:10). We have begun to think differently, and our lives now have the potential to be more than we ever imagined—for it can be what God imagines!
The Resurrection is central to the Christian hope that Christ died, was Resurrected and lives today too. This fact is absolutely necessary for us to have hope for eternal life. Today, over one billion Christians unite to proclaim that Jesus Christ is alive. Christians all over the world celebrate the proclamation of the angel, He is not here, He has risen, just as He said! Matthew 28:6
The personal experience of men and women today testifies that the power of the risen Christ has transformed their lives. We know that Jesus is alive not only because of the historical and biblical evidences but because He has touched our lives. The evidence that no one can dispute is the ongoing encounter with the living Christ that happens all over the world in every culture, to people from all kinds of backgrounds and personalities—well educated or not, rich or poor, scientists and technocrats and men and women of all ages. They testify that more than anything in their lives how Jesus Christ has changed them and given them hope of a better life hereafter. The final message is that the door is open for a direct encounter with the risen Christ.God emptied heaven to fill the manger, He emptied the Manger to fill the cross, He emptied the cross to fill the tomb and He emptied the tomb to fill our hearts.
These two men, Peter and John, were standing in the empty tomb where three days and nights earlier,the dead body of their Master and Teacher, Jesus of Nazareth, had been placed (see John20:1-10). Then they remembered what Jesus had told them while He was still in Galilee, ‘the Son of man must be handed over to be crucified and on the third day rise again.’ Could this be true? Was there hope after all?
Matthew’s account goes into detail to show that there were eyewitnesses to an earthquake and that an angel had rolled back the stone covering the tomb entrance. The guards shook with fear to the point of being frozen into inaction (Matthew 28:2-4)
Without the physical Resurrection, two thousand years of history would have gone a begging for such an enormous geographical and political event. No other event in recorded history has reached so far across national,ethnic, linguistic cultural, political and geographical boarders. During the first few centuries,Christ’s message spread with great success across the world without political or military power and prevailed against the ruthless efforts to imprison all those who spoke about the Resurrection.
Jesus was a real historical person who died, was crucified and rose again. Several manuscripts from multiple sources, including Jewish historians, describe a man named Jesus who lived and was crucified. As of today, more than 66,000 early manuscripts from multiple sources which are unaltered show a pattern of consistency in the reliability of the Resurrection account. More than just a fact, the Resurrection creates a connection to God that has been perceived by people from all times, cultures, socioeconomic status, great personalities, across the more than 2000 years of history. Many famous scientists like Blaise Pascal, Johann Kepler, Michael Faraday, and Francis Collins have been influenced and followed our living God.
Christ’s resurrection paved the way for us to experience and to know God better and to live the abundant life He has for us (John 10:10). We have begun to think differently, and our lives now have the potential to be more than we ever imagined—for it can be what God imagines!
The Resurrection is central to the Christian hope that Christ died, was Resurrected and lives today too. This fact is absolutely necessary for us to have hope for eternal life. Today, over one billion Christians unite to proclaim that Jesus Christ is alive. Christians all over the world celebrate the proclamation of the angel, He is not here, He has risen, just as He said! Matthew 28:6
The personal experience of men and women today testifies that the power of the risen Christ has transformed their lives. We know that Jesus is alive not only because of the historical and biblical evidences but because He has touched our lives. The evidence that no one can dispute is the ongoing encounter with the living Christ that happens all over the world in every culture, to people from all kinds of backgrounds and personalities—well educated or not, rich or poor, scientists and technocrats and men and women of all ages. They testify that more than anything in their lives how Jesus Christ has changed them and given them hope of a better life hereafter. The final message is that the door is open for a direct encounter with the risen Christ.God emptied heaven to fill the manger, He emptied the Manger to fill the cross, He emptied the cross to fill the tomb and He emptied the tomb to fill our hearts.
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