Sunday, April 4, 2010

What if he isn't alive? What if he is?

If Jesus isn't alive...

we have no reason to celebrate like we do as Christians.

we are all fools for believing the biggest hoax in human history.

how can you explain the instant life transformation of the disciples, most of whom died gruesome deaths because they wouldn't stop saying he was alive?

there is no hope for anything after this life.

he is a dead Savior and therefore no Savior at all.

none of us claiming to have "new life" or be "born again" actually are... we just wished it upon ourselves and perhaps radically altered our lives on our own power.

our money and energy is wasted to advance a cause for someone who died almost 2000 years ago.

we should go back to living primarily for ourselves rather than some guy who had some nice things to say but couldn't back them up.

Easter really should be about a bunny who lays colored eggs for children to find.

I am wasting my life in a meaningless, empty, foolish endeavor to serve a dead person who never rose, and therefore has no power to change anyone's life and am the biggest liar I know.


If Jesus is alive...

we have every reason to celebrate like we do as Christians and should be the most consistently joyful, happy people on earth.

he is the living Savior who has been building his Kingdom and his Church for nearly 2000 years, and will one day return to fully receive his Kingdom for all eternity.

we have hope for today, tomorrow, and eternity.

the death of Jesus on behalf of sinners like you and me makes sense... he died to pay for our sins and rose to give us new life in him.

the Holy Spirit now lives in us, opening our minds to the truths of the Gospel.

there is every reason to use our money and energy to serve him.

Easter is rightly about him, not a bunny and eggs.

I am spending my life doing meaningful, beautiful, and eternal work - and not just because I work for a church but simply because I am a Christian who seeks to bring him honor in all I do and be a witness to the good news of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.



Friends, spend some time reflecting on what would be different if Jesus in fact did NOT rise from death but is actually in the ground, still rotting away like every other dead person. Such a thought on Christians should cause great distress if that is in fact the case because we've been dooped by simple fisherman, a tax collector, and some other normal guys who turned radical about a man they believed to be alive. The Gospel is not a set of facts you must adhere to - it is NEWS of a risen Savior who conquered Satan, sin, and death through the cross and resurrection. The cross means nothing without the resurrection. The death in our place on the cross receives much attention and rightfully so, but if he did not rise it would have no power.

If you'd like to add to this list please do so by either commenting on the blog or commenting on the link provided on Facebook. What else would be different if he didn't rise, and what should it mean to us that he did rise?

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