Is the Resurrection True?

Well, here we are in the holiest week of the year. Hmm, that’s probably why they call it Holy Week. 

We just celebrated Palm Sunday, when Jesus made His triumphal entry into Jerusalem. And this week we have Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and then Easter Sunday (also known as Resurrection Sunday).

The Resurrection of Jesus, which we celebrate on Easter, is not only the most important event on the entire Church calendar, it’s also the most important event in human history. Everything that happened before led up to the Resurrection, and everything that has occurred since has been influenced by the power of the Resurrection. That single event ushered in a completely new era in mankind’s relationship with our Creator. Before the Resurrection we were in the Era of the Law. After the Resurrection we entered the Era of Grace.

Even though our culture still acknowledges the Easter holiday, a sizable number of people in our society no longer believe the Resurrection took place. Even many church members who attend Mass or other religious services on a regular basis do not believe the actual, physical Resurrection of Jesus occurred. They think the Resurrection story is just a metaphor for springtime renewal and spiritual hope.

And I guess you can’t blame people for asking the logical question: “How could a dead guy come back to life?!” After all, I’ve never seen a dead guy come back to life, and I’m sure you’ve never seen it either. Modern science tells us that once a living creature dies, that’s it. It cannot come back to life again.

So, it’s understandable that people these days have a lot of doubt about the truth of the central claim of Christianity. And the central claim of the faith, by the way, is not “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” Certainly, that’s a great way to live your life, but that’s not the heart of Christianity. Instead, the heart is: “The Son of God became a man, died to pay the price for our sins, and then three days later rose from the dead, conquering death once and for all.”

It is not subtle. No metaphor about springtime renewal. The central claim, the heart of our faith, is the proclamation that a man died and then really, physically came back to life again. Nothing symbolic about it at all.

Furthermore, one of the key architects of Christian doctrine, St. Paul, left no wiggle room for those who hold the metaphor view. He wrote, “If Christ has not been raised, your faith is vain….If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are the most pitiable people of all” (1 Cor. 15:17, 19).

If Jesus did not really, physically come back to life and walk out of that tomb, then the entire Christian faith is a waste of time, and those of us who claim it’s true are actually the most pitiful folks in the world. 

If you have doubts about the truth of the Resurrection, and ask that logical question, “How could a dead guy come back to life?!” here’s another logical question you should ask: “How could random, swirling chemicals turn into a bird or a rosebush or the human brain?!”

The intricate complexity and precision of living organisms means someone or something had to be behind it all, meticulously planning and engineering the miracle known as life. The equation “Chaos + Chance + Time = Intricate Precision” just doesn’t add up. Common sense tells us that things do not become more complex and interconnected by accident. Experience tells us the exact opposite is true: things deteriorate over time.

So, if there is someone or something able to create intricate life in the first place out of random chaos, isn't it logical to consider that this mysterious someone or something has the ability to make one particular dead guy come back to life?

Please give it some thought. Acknowledging that a Resurrection COULD happen is an important first step. Then, if you spend some time seeking the mysterious someone or something behind it all, you’ll be delighted to discover that He’s been seeking you all along.

Happy Easter! He is risen. He is risen indeed!