Why is it that I care about the life, death, and most importantly the resurrection of Jesus Christ? Anyone could come live a half decent life and die, but what makes Jesus different and significant is the resurrection. He lived more than a half decent life; He lived a perfect life and died a horrible death at the hands of sinners for no good reason by the human standards. His reason for going to the cross was out of love. 1 John 3:16, "By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren." 1 John 4:10 says, "In this is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins." 1 John 4:19, "We love Him because He first loved us." Out of love for the very people He created to love Him in return are the very same people He died for.
While it was out of love that He died, dying was not enough to change our sinful state. Anyone could die, I could die, you could die, and because of sin we would die unless God intervened. It was saving us from death out of love that drove Him to the cross in the first place. He wanted to change death. He had to rise from the dead. Death was no longer the end; there was now life with Jesus after death. Death is not the end all it is simply the beginning of life with Jesus if one choices to allow Him to. While some still choose to deny the resurrection of Jesus, there are so many things that indicate His death, burial, and resurrection. The soldiers were paid off to keep silent about the resurrection of Jesus. If it were not true why go to so much trouble to keep what happened silent. When the disciples arrived at the tomb the clothes were folded showing no sign of rushing. If someone were to steal the body they would do it as quickly as possible and would not take the time to fold the clothes. Jesus appeared too many after His resurrection. He ate food and disciples could physically touch, feel, and talk to Jesus. So many lives were changed by Jesus. Many people tried to keep the story of Jesus quiet, but it is impossible. The story of Jesus has stood the test of time. People died for Jesus because their lives were changed by Him. If it were true not then that many people would not be willing to die for just a story.
Knowing and believing the resurrection of Jesus is not good enough. The story of the resurrection is more than a story it is a challenge, it has significance. It is a call to action. Matthew 28:7 says, "And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead." Mark 16:8, "So they went out quickly and fled from the tomb, for they trembled and were amazed." The resurrection of Christ is a time of rejoicing. The resurrection is a fulfillment of prophesy. Luke 24:5b-7 says, "Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen! Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee, saying, 'the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again'." Amazement followed the resurrection. John 20:28 says, "And Thomas answered and said to Him, 'My Lord and My God!"
Jesus resurrection makes everything different. Following Jesus is different than anything else in life. We serve a living God. He is not dead, a statue, made up, weak, made of stone or wood, but a real, strong, living God. He is a God who loved us, went to great lengths to reach us. He showed the greatest demonstration of love ever shown to the human race. It was all done to change us from a sinful and lost state to a redeemed state. When we chose Jesus, we can spend forever with Jesus and that was what was accomplished through the cross and resurrection.
