A defining moment is a personal experience that changes who we are and how we perceive life and the world around us. I had a defining moment when I had a close encounter of the God kind at the age of 14 in Seattle, Washington. This experience changed my life forever. After that, no one would ever be able to convince me that God did not exists or that Jesus was not alive today.
Are you enjoying the 4 day holiday this weekend? Have you thanked God for it? Because this 4 day weekend is brought to you by the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. No matter what people call it -Spring Festival, long weekend, mandatory holiday or Easter- the reason why you have 4 days off has to do with the events pertaining to this defining moment in history. If there was one event that could be categorized as THE most important to celebrate in the life of church history or all of history for that matter...it is the crucifixion, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
But we sure have a lot of people who don’t even believe that Jesus existed let alone was raised from the dead.
Common Perceptions of the Resurrection
1. It was a hoax.
2. It can’t be scientifically verified.
3. It is a doctrine made up by church hierarchy.
4. It is a spiritual belief not a historical fact.
How do you know that Jesus really rose from the dead? How can we be so sure that these things actually happened and this is not some sick cosmic game where when we die, God comes out from behind the “pearly gates” laughing his head off and saying, “You got punk’d?!” Well, these were the same kinds of things the early church apostles had to deal with as well. So let’s engage a passage of Scripture that addresses this very thing in 1 Corinthians 15:3-8.
3For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. 6After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. 7Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, 8and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.
Paul's Argument for the Veracity of the Resurreciton
1. The scriptures predicted it. “...according to Scriptures…”
2. Jesus appeared to Peter and the apostles and to over 500 witnesses some of whom are still alive. Paul was saying in essence, “If you don’t believe me, you can talk to any of the over 500 people who were eyewitnesses to Jesus’ resurrection. You can get a firsthand account that Jesus really did rise from the dead.
3. Jesus appeared to his own biological brother, James. Just try getting your brother to worship you!
4. Jesus appeared to Paul and changed this former religious terrorist’s life.
Ok...let’s say that this was all true; that Jesus was killed and that he did rise from the dead...so what? What difference does it make to us?
1. The resurrection of Jesus offers us hope. 15:12-19
12But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. 15More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. 16For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. 17And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. 18Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. 19If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men.
Without the resurrection, we have no future to look forward to. Without the resurrection, Jesus just becomes a self-proclaimed hero and an unfortunate martyr that people are stupid enough to call a good example to follow in our life here and now. But he’s useless when it comes to the ultimate issues of death and eternity...if he isn’t alive today.
The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the defining moment that frees us from the tyranny of sin. What is sin? Sin is when you let something other than Jesus become the controlling factor in your life. It’s when you let something else or someone else rule over you and define you, give you meaning, give you security. Sin is giving that something or someone the place in your life where only Jesus should be.
2. The resurrection of Jesus offers us an indestructible life. 15:20-23
20But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. 22For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. 23But each in his own turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him. 24Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. 25For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26The last enemy to be destroyed is death.
Without the resurrection, we are still spiritually and physically dead. When Paul describes Jesus as the “firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep,” he is saying that Jesus is the first of his kind but that there are many more who will follow after his kind. So the same kind of life force that Jesus had that could not be snuffed out, is the same kind of life force those of us who belong to him receive from him.
3. The resurrection of Jesus offers us meaning for this life. 15:29-34
29Now if there is no resurrection, what will those do who are baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized for them? 30And as for us, why do we endanger ourselves every hour? 31I die every day—I mean that, brothers—just as surely as I glory over you in Christ Jesus our Lord. 32If I fought wild beasts in Ephesus for merely human reasons, what have I gained? If the dead are not raised,
"Let us eat and drink,
for tomorrow we die."[d]
33Do not be misled: "Bad company corrupts good character." 34Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning; for there are some who are ignorant of God—I say this to your shame.
Without the resurrection, we might as well, “Eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.” Without the resurrection, the only thing that matters is today and what you make of it. If we have no future existence after death and if we won’t be held accountable by God for how we lived our lives then we should just party it up. We might as well live out our every fantasy and do our own personal version of “Girls Gone Wild.” Who cares what kind of person you are if -as those great theologians Linkin’ Park say- "in the end it doesn’t really matter."
But what a crucified and resurrected Lord Jesus does for us is provide us with a way to change our lives. The problems of the world all begin in the same place...the human heart. Terrorism is a symptom of hatred and control. Violent crime is a symptom of hopelessness and rage. Poverty is a symptom of greed and selfishness. Chemical addiction is a symptom of escapism, hopelessness and a need for relief. Personal uncontrolled debt is a symptom of a lust for more and a longing to fill our lives with stuff.
The only way to deal with this stuff is for people to experience a personal crucifixion and resurrection by following Jesus.
Paul said it this way, “I die daily.” So are you part of the problem in this world or are you part of the solution?
Bottom line is that Jesus is Lord. He kicked the devil’s butt on the cross and in the empty tomb. He’s coming back. Question is, “Is he coming back for you?” And that is determined by whether you live for him now or not.
