I Believe in Resurrection Sunday

Today, Christians acknowledge the single most important day in the history of the world, at least as far as the their faith is concerned. Today, Christ followers declare their faith that Jesus, who was crucified prior to the Sabbath, was raised to life the day after that Sabbath. Today, Christians declare their belief that on that Sunday morning, almost 2000 years ago, the tomb in which body of Jesus had been laid, was found empty.

But isn’t it overly dramatic to regard this the single most important day in the history of humankind as far as Christians are concerned? Not according to the apostle Paul. In 1 Corinthians 15:1–7, 14–19 he clearly laid out the implications if indeed Christ has not been raised from the dead:

·      The apostles’ preaching is futile

·      Christian’s faith is useless

·      The apostles are false witnesses

·      Christians are still in their sins

·      Christians who have died believing in Christ have simply perished

·      Christian hope in Christ is only for this life

·      Christians are to be pitied more than anyone

Is the resurrection of Jesus something that is easy to believe? No, actually it isn’t. According to the gospel accounts, even those who were present and witnessed the empty tomb and even some who saw Jesus alive after his death and burial struggled to believe. The Gospel accounts are honest about the very human reactions his followers experienced when confronted with the reality of Jesus’ empty tomb. However, the varied reactions they initially experienced—fear, bewilderment, uncertainty, disbelief, shock—were, person-by-person, eventually replaced with astonishment, joy, excitement, and ultimately confident faith and worship.

Even Thomas—the disciples with whom I personally most identify—went from a reaction of determined skepticism to a confident and no doubt, somewhat humbling declaration of faith: “My Lord and my God (John 20:24–29)!  

A song Christians often sing, asks the question “Were You There?” and the obvious and only truthful answer is “No, I wasn’t there.” Only a few, relatively speaking, were there. So, why do Christians believe? The bottom line Christians believe because they have chosen to trust the testimony of those who claimed to have been there and to have seen Jesus raised to live again. Each Christ follower has made a decision, at some point in her/his life, that these men and women were truthful in their testimony.

Still I think it is important that Christ followers deal with reality. Did you know that the written testimony in the four Gospel accounts, in Acts and in Paul’s letter to the Corinthians, is not without its problems? These are not identical accounts as far as the details of who, what, when and where are concerned. (Check out the chart at http://www.religionfacts.com/charts/resurrection-accounts). The witnesses do not speak with one unified voice regarding every detail and, in fact, many of the details appear to be contradictory. Surely, it was an extremely traumatic and deeply emotional time for each witness. And it is known that even under the best of conditions human memory is fallible and typically witnesses of any event hardly ever describe the event with identical details.

However, what they do absolutely agree on is this: the tomb was empty and they each saw Jesus alive with wounds in his hands and side. Most of them claim to have seen him not just once, but on numerous occasions. As the author of the book of Acts states, “To the same apostles also, after his suffering, he presented himself alive with many convincing proofs. He was seen by them over a forty-day period and spoke about matters concerning the kingdom of God” (1:3). Biblical, even extra-biblical, history tells us that these apostles, and many others, who claimed to be eye-witnesses, went on to testify to Christ’s resurrection. And, not insignificantly, many of them paid the ultimate price for proclaiming their faith as they suffered persecution, imprisonment, torture and even death.

Christians choose to believe because of their testimony. They did not see Jesus for ourselves, yet they believe. As Jesus stated in John 20:29 to my friend Thomas, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are the people who have not seen and yet have believed.” After almost 42 years now, I continue to believe that Jesus died, was buried, but was raised to life again, and thus I also believe that he is coming back again, somehow, one day…and our lives in this world will be dramatically and eternally changed.

Some might ask, why, with only the testimony of some first century Jewish men and women to go by, I persevere in my decision to believe. My best answer—thanks to Rachel Held Evans—is simply this: “I am so compelled by the story of Jesus, that I am willing to risk being wrong.” Jesus’ life and his teachings (as recorded in the Gospel accounts) and the implications of his death, burial and resurrection (as declared in Acts and the NT epistles) are so compelling to me that I choose to believe. Thus, I continue to commit to doing my best, day-by-day, to imitate his example, obey his teachings and share my faith via my words and my actions. Yes, I have not seen, but yet I continue believe in “Resurrection Sunday.”