If I were to ask you what the foundation of your faith is as a Christian, I wonder what your answer would be? The most common answer that I am sure I would get would be Jesus Christ. He is the Chief Cornerstone, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. We are called Christian because we are followers of Christ.
I’m not going to disagree with you, Jesus is the foundation of Christianity. I Corinthians 3:11 states “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” Guess what I’m about to tell you? You should be able to say with a sure voice that Jesus is the foundation of your faith, but there is also something that we need to fully realize. Without Easter there would be no reason to have that faith. The Resurrection of Jesus marks is the single most definitive fact in history that separates Christians from every other religion. The Resurrection of Jesus is what makes Christianity true, and proves all other so-called religions to be false. I Corinthians 15:12-17 Now if Christ is preached as raised from the dead, how can some of you say, “There is no resurrection of the dead”? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, the Christ has not been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is without foundation, and so is your faith. In addition we are found to be false witnesses about God because we have testified about God that He raised up Christ – whom He did not raise up if in fact the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, Christ has not been raised. And if Christ has not been raised your faith is worthless, you are still in your sins.
For the Christian, Easter should be the most important day of the year. Easter is the day that we can claim to have victory because of the victory that Jesus had on His Resurrection Day. When Jesus rose from the grave He not only overcame death, but sin as well. He proved His authority over life, over natural powers, as well as supernatural powers. Jesus gave us proof in His Resurrection that there was nothing, is nothing, nor will be anything that He cannot overcome.
Luke 24:1-8 On the first day of the week, very early in the morning,, they came to the tomb. Bringing the spices they had prepared. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb. They went in but did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were perplexed about this suddenly two men stood by them in dazzling clothes. So the women were terrified and bowed down to the ground.
“Why are you looking for the living among the dead?” asked the men. He is not here, but has been resurrected! Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee, saying, “The Son of Man must be betrayed into the hands of sinful men to be, be crucified and rise on the third day?” And they remembered His words.
There have been hundreds of skeptics over the past 2000 years that would have you to follow along with them and believe that Jesus didn’t rise on that first Easter Sunday morning. The basis of their argument, “It’s impossible.” “Dead people do not come back to life.
Let me burst your bubble; Jesus did come back to life. He did rise from the grave, and He’s still alive today. You can go to the very tomb that Jesus was placed in today. Do you know what you will find when you look inside? Nothing, the tomb is empty. If you look inside any of the burial sites of any other so-called religious leader guess what you will find? You will see the decayed remains of a body.
The answer that a skeptic will give you to why the tomb of Jesus is empty is interesting. They say that His body was stolen by either the religious leaders or Jesus’ followers. To say that either of these groups would want to take Jesus body makes no sense.
If the religious leaders took the body they would have been more than happy to present it and make the followers of Jesus out to be liars. You can be sure that Jesus’ friends didn’t take the body. During the crucifixion of Jesus the disciples were cowards. Peter even denied knowing Jesus. The men basically hid because they were terrified. After the resurrection it was a different story. The disciples had no regard for their physical life. They were completely sure of who they served. There were people dying for believing that Jesus was the Son of God. If they had stolen the body, do you really think that they would have died for a lie?
Have you ever given thought to the fact that “not even the religious and political leaders that had Jesus crucified doubted that Jesus had risen.” Matthew 28:11-13 Now when they were going, some of the watch (guards) came into the city, and showed the chief priests all the things that were done. And when they were assembled with the elders, and took counsel, they gave a large sum money to the soldiers, Saying, Say His disciples came by night, and stole him while we slept.
The religious leaders gave a bribe to the soldiers on watch so that they would lie if someone asked what had happened. Do you know what would have happened to a Roman soldier if he fell asleep while on guard? He would have been tried and executed, especially if a prisoner escaped. The leaders of that day had to have accepted and believed that Jesus was raised from the dead. (If not I wonder what kind of punishment there was for allowing a dead prisoner to escape?)
There is something else that gives us proof that Jesus really did rise from the grave. Not only is there an empty tomb, not only do you have Roman Soldiers and government leaders that believe, not only do Jesus’ followers believe. After Jesus’ resurrection there were witnesses.
Listen to Paul’s statement. I Corinthians 15:3-8 For I delivered to you first of all that which I received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at one time; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.
There were about 500 witnesses that saw a living Jesus after He was crucified.
History gives proof that Jesus was crucified and then died. There are several historians that you can look up to find the account of the crucifixion in history. History proves the resurrection of Jesus as well. There was the establishment of the church first of all that made a mark in history.
What does the church stand on? That Jesus died and then rose again. Easter is the foundation of our faith!
I have been looking into the doubts that skeptics have, another mark in history is that many of these die hard skeptics have looked at the evidence against them, weighed it out, and then became Christians themselves because there is no way to discredit that Jesus really did rise from the grave. That Jesus really is the Son of God. One of the biggest skeptics of Christianity that I can think of was Saul that became the Apostle Paul. Saul had one goal in mind, get rid of the Christians because they were disrupting and confusing devout Jews. Paul was willing to do whatever it took to remove Christianity.
One of the very first Deacon’s of the Church was a man by the name of Stephen. Because of Stephen’s faith in Jesus he was stoned to death. Guess who was there in approval? Saul, or rather Paul. Acts 22:19-20 But I said, “Lord, they know that from synagogue to synagogue I had those who believe in You imprisioned and beaten. And when the blood of Your witness Stephen was being shed, I myself was standing by and approving, and I guarded the clothes of those who killed him. While Saul was on his mission to rid Israel of Christians, He was converted. Saul became Paul and became a follower and believer of Jesus. This was a man that was fanatical about preserving and protecting Judaism. Saul was a Pharisee.
In just a matter of minutes Saul is convinced that Jesus has risen from the dead. He is convinced that Jesus is that Son of God. Paul became one of the most dynamic Christian leaders that the early Church had. Paul was now risking his life to proclaim that Jesus had really risen. Would Paul have been converted for a lie? Not a chance.
There is no doubt that Jesus died and then rose from the grave. When Jesus arose from that tomb, He gave all mankind all the proof that we need that God truly does love and care for each and every one of us. Jesus, by His willingness to give His life for you gave us proof of just how much He really does love you. John 15:13 Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
Do you know that you are more than just a creation to Jesus? You are considered a friend.
When God created all that exists, He didn’t just turn His back and abandon us.
Do you realize that God sees and understands the trouble and problems that you’re going through and that you’ve been through? God understands your life. It was for you that Jesus died. Jesus died so that you could have access to God the Father, so that you can have access to an endless source of power to deal with whatever it is that life might send your way.
What we all need to understand is that there is sin in our life. That sin has set up a roadblock.
Because of God’s righteousness, there has to be punishment for the sin that we have. That punishment is separation from God. Without accepting what Jesus did on our behalf through His death and what Jesus overcame through His resurrection, that roadblock remains. That separation remains. Hell remains. Without Jesus that separation is eternal, placing those that choose not to believe and accept holding the full force of the responsibility that sin holds.
Jesus took all of the consequences of your sin upon Himself on the cross. When Jesus died on the cross, He took all of your punishment upon Himself. When He rose from the grave He was able to offer us a gift of Salvation that begins the moment that you accept. Notice that He offers a gift that you have to make a choice to accept.
Do you know what an empty cross and an empty grave tells us? That Jesus is alive and well today. This Easter I want for you to realize that today is a day of victory. Today is a day for you to realize that through Jesus sin was overcome, death was overcome, satan was overcome. You need to realize that because of Jesus’ Resurrection, Every problem that you might be facing in life can be overcome by the power you can possess through Jesus.
I don’t know what you might be facing. I don’t know what this past week or month has held for you. I don’t know what tomorrow is going to bring. I do know that Jesus can help you with whatever there is in your life.
Are you ready to make a change?
I’m not going to disagree with you, Jesus is the foundation of Christianity. I Corinthians 3:11 states “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” Guess what I’m about to tell you? You should be able to say with a sure voice that Jesus is the foundation of your faith, but there is also something that we need to fully realize. Without Easter there would be no reason to have that faith. The Resurrection of Jesus marks is the single most definitive fact in history that separates Christians from every other religion. The Resurrection of Jesus is what makes Christianity true, and proves all other so-called religions to be false. I Corinthians 15:12-17 Now if Christ is preached as raised from the dead, how can some of you say, “There is no resurrection of the dead”? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, the Christ has not been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is without foundation, and so is your faith. In addition we are found to be false witnesses about God because we have testified about God that He raised up Christ – whom He did not raise up if in fact the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, Christ has not been raised. And if Christ has not been raised your faith is worthless, you are still in your sins.
For the Christian, Easter should be the most important day of the year. Easter is the day that we can claim to have victory because of the victory that Jesus had on His Resurrection Day. When Jesus rose from the grave He not only overcame death, but sin as well. He proved His authority over life, over natural powers, as well as supernatural powers. Jesus gave us proof in His Resurrection that there was nothing, is nothing, nor will be anything that He cannot overcome.
Luke 24:1-8 On the first day of the week, very early in the morning,, they came to the tomb. Bringing the spices they had prepared. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb. They went in but did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were perplexed about this suddenly two men stood by them in dazzling clothes. So the women were terrified and bowed down to the ground.
“Why are you looking for the living among the dead?” asked the men. He is not here, but has been resurrected! Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee, saying, “The Son of Man must be betrayed into the hands of sinful men to be, be crucified and rise on the third day?” And they remembered His words.
There have been hundreds of skeptics over the past 2000 years that would have you to follow along with them and believe that Jesus didn’t rise on that first Easter Sunday morning. The basis of their argument, “It’s impossible.” “Dead people do not come back to life.
Let me burst your bubble; Jesus did come back to life. He did rise from the grave, and He’s still alive today. You can go to the very tomb that Jesus was placed in today. Do you know what you will find when you look inside? Nothing, the tomb is empty. If you look inside any of the burial sites of any other so-called religious leader guess what you will find? You will see the decayed remains of a body.
The answer that a skeptic will give you to why the tomb of Jesus is empty is interesting. They say that His body was stolen by either the religious leaders or Jesus’ followers. To say that either of these groups would want to take Jesus body makes no sense.
If the religious leaders took the body they would have been more than happy to present it and make the followers of Jesus out to be liars. You can be sure that Jesus’ friends didn’t take the body. During the crucifixion of Jesus the disciples were cowards. Peter even denied knowing Jesus. The men basically hid because they were terrified. After the resurrection it was a different story. The disciples had no regard for their physical life. They were completely sure of who they served. There were people dying for believing that Jesus was the Son of God. If they had stolen the body, do you really think that they would have died for a lie?
Have you ever given thought to the fact that “not even the religious and political leaders that had Jesus crucified doubted that Jesus had risen.” Matthew 28:11-13 Now when they were going, some of the watch (guards) came into the city, and showed the chief priests all the things that were done. And when they were assembled with the elders, and took counsel, they gave a large sum money to the soldiers, Saying, Say His disciples came by night, and stole him while we slept.
The religious leaders gave a bribe to the soldiers on watch so that they would lie if someone asked what had happened. Do you know what would have happened to a Roman soldier if he fell asleep while on guard? He would have been tried and executed, especially if a prisoner escaped. The leaders of that day had to have accepted and believed that Jesus was raised from the dead. (If not I wonder what kind of punishment there was for allowing a dead prisoner to escape?)
There is something else that gives us proof that Jesus really did rise from the grave. Not only is there an empty tomb, not only do you have Roman Soldiers and government leaders that believe, not only do Jesus’ followers believe. After Jesus’ resurrection there were witnesses.
Listen to Paul’s statement. I Corinthians 15:3-8 For I delivered to you first of all that which I received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at one time; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.
There were about 500 witnesses that saw a living Jesus after He was crucified.
History gives proof that Jesus was crucified and then died. There are several historians that you can look up to find the account of the crucifixion in history. History proves the resurrection of Jesus as well. There was the establishment of the church first of all that made a mark in history.
What does the church stand on? That Jesus died and then rose again. Easter is the foundation of our faith!
I have been looking into the doubts that skeptics have, another mark in history is that many of these die hard skeptics have looked at the evidence against them, weighed it out, and then became Christians themselves because there is no way to discredit that Jesus really did rise from the grave. That Jesus really is the Son of God. One of the biggest skeptics of Christianity that I can think of was Saul that became the Apostle Paul. Saul had one goal in mind, get rid of the Christians because they were disrupting and confusing devout Jews. Paul was willing to do whatever it took to remove Christianity.
One of the very first Deacon’s of the Church was a man by the name of Stephen. Because of Stephen’s faith in Jesus he was stoned to death. Guess who was there in approval? Saul, or rather Paul. Acts 22:19-20 But I said, “Lord, they know that from synagogue to synagogue I had those who believe in You imprisioned and beaten. And when the blood of Your witness Stephen was being shed, I myself was standing by and approving, and I guarded the clothes of those who killed him. While Saul was on his mission to rid Israel of Christians, He was converted. Saul became Paul and became a follower and believer of Jesus. This was a man that was fanatical about preserving and protecting Judaism. Saul was a Pharisee.
In just a matter of minutes Saul is convinced that Jesus has risen from the dead. He is convinced that Jesus is that Son of God. Paul became one of the most dynamic Christian leaders that the early Church had. Paul was now risking his life to proclaim that Jesus had really risen. Would Paul have been converted for a lie? Not a chance.
There is no doubt that Jesus died and then rose from the grave. When Jesus arose from that tomb, He gave all mankind all the proof that we need that God truly does love and care for each and every one of us. Jesus, by His willingness to give His life for you gave us proof of just how much He really does love you. John 15:13 Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
Do you know that you are more than just a creation to Jesus? You are considered a friend.
When God created all that exists, He didn’t just turn His back and abandon us.
Do you realize that God sees and understands the trouble and problems that you’re going through and that you’ve been through? God understands your life. It was for you that Jesus died. Jesus died so that you could have access to God the Father, so that you can have access to an endless source of power to deal with whatever it is that life might send your way.
What we all need to understand is that there is sin in our life. That sin has set up a roadblock.
Because of God’s righteousness, there has to be punishment for the sin that we have. That punishment is separation from God. Without accepting what Jesus did on our behalf through His death and what Jesus overcame through His resurrection, that roadblock remains. That separation remains. Hell remains. Without Jesus that separation is eternal, placing those that choose not to believe and accept holding the full force of the responsibility that sin holds.
Jesus took all of the consequences of your sin upon Himself on the cross. When Jesus died on the cross, He took all of your punishment upon Himself. When He rose from the grave He was able to offer us a gift of Salvation that begins the moment that you accept. Notice that He offers a gift that you have to make a choice to accept.
Do you know what an empty cross and an empty grave tells us? That Jesus is alive and well today. This Easter I want for you to realize that today is a day of victory. Today is a day for you to realize that through Jesus sin was overcome, death was overcome, satan was overcome. You need to realize that because of Jesus’ Resurrection, Every problem that you might be facing in life can be overcome by the power you can possess through Jesus.
I don’t know what you might be facing. I don’t know what this past week or month has held for you. I don’t know what tomorrow is going to bring. I do know that Jesus can help you with whatever there is in your life.
Are you ready to make a change?
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