Jesus: The Risen One (Easter)

Have you ever wondered what our faith would be like without the resurrection? What would we have without the Easter Event?

To be honest – we would still have quite a bit:

• a world created by a loving God who cares about us intimately.
• heroes who show us the power of great and mighty deeds
• the earthly deeds of Jesus, his healings and teachings, perhaps even his suffering and death on our behalf
• perhaps the church as a place to teach and learn

But what would be missing?

To be honest, it is easy and normal to be skeptical about the resurrection. The Bible tells us that even the disciples were skeptical.

The book The Case for Easter, by Lee Strobel, is a recommended resource for anyone wishing to investigate the plausibility of the resurrection story from a critical point of view.

You can also refer to this interview with Strobel on the resurrection - notice there are additional pages following page one.


It is important to remember that the raising of Jesus was not just the continuation of Jesus’ earthly life – it was the beginning of something brand new – a beginning that affects your life and mine. Let's use the Bible to remind us of some of the things that are different because of the Easter event.

• The Easter Event transforms the meaning of suffering.

Some of the oldest Bible stories reflect the idea that if you suffer there must be a reason. This concept still lingers to this day, even among Christians. You frequently hear people ask “What have I done to deserve this?” Look at this passage, and what it has to say about seeing suffering in a new light:

2 CORINTHIANS 4:8-10 (nlt). We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed. Through suffering, our bodies continue to share in the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies.

• The Easter Event transforms the meaning of death.

To be honest, many of the oldest stories in the Bible reflect the idea that this life is your one shot at doing anything worthwhile. There was certainly no idea of reincarnation in Jewish traditions. What you hoped for was certainly a long life – a meaningful life – a relatively healthy life – but when you die – the best they hoped for was that your influence continued on – through your descendants and through your land. Hopefully you would be remembered.

Greek philosophy at the time of Jesus was quite different, seeing this earthly life as the ultimate test, the ultimate physical challenge. One day we would be released from the prison of this earthly body, and our invisible souls (our true selves) would be released. Greeks believed there was more to it than this life, but they could not think in terms of resurrection. Their belief was in the immortality of the soul.

NOTE: I can still remember my challenging encounter with the work of theologian Oscar Cullmann while I was in seminary. His work "Immortality of the Soul or Resurrection of the Dead: The Witness of the New Testament" will highlight some of the theological nuances of the distinction between immortality and resurrection. You can access this work online at this website. Notice you will need to click each individual section of the total work. It is "deep," but worth your study!

• The Easter Event transformed our understanding of this life and beyond.

1 CORINTHIANS 15:20, 22 (nrsv). In fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have died…. For as all die in Adam, so all will be made alive in Christ.

Resurrection happened not just so Jesus would be vindicated – it is your story and my story as well too. The victory he won over death is our victory too. That’s what made the first disciples so courageous. When we say “I believe in the resurrection of the body," we are speaking not of Jesus' resurrection, but of our resurrection!

• The Easter Event transforms the meaning of community.

Because of the Easter Event, community – church – is not simply a place of learning, a place where we discuss ideas about who God is. Now there's nothing wrong with that. But as resurrection people, community – church – is transformed into a place of power!

EPHESIANS 1:19-20a (nlt). I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead.

Re-read some of the stories from the Book of Acts. You will see that the mighty works of Jesus did not end when he ascended into heaven. In fact they multiplied through the explosive power of the Holy Spirit. The Bible tells us that the same power that raised Jesus from the dead, is not only available to raise you from death to eternal life – but is also available to you now.

Church is transformed into a place of explosive power - resurrection power!


John Witte notes that how striking it is that in the resurrection stories, the followers of Jesus "consistently fail to recognize him," yet that God also makes possible a variety of ways for them to apprehend him. Read his article "A Manifold Resurrection" for more of his thoughts: