Coach's Corner

Why Resurrection Matters

It has often been said that the resurrection of Christ is one of the central truths of the gospel message; the key to the Christian faith. It is a belief that the majority of the current culture adopts as their own and deserves to be explored by both those who would call themselves followers of Christ and even those who may assume the title ‘questioners of Christ’.

However, before we proceed with a deeper exploration as to why the resurrection matters so much to such a predominant faith group, I believe a look at another cornerstone in the Christian faith is crucial. The suffering and death of Christ preempts the idea of resurrection and begs a second, third, and hundredth look.

God on a cross. The ultimate act of creative compassion. The Creator being sacrificed for the creation. God convincing man once and for all that he would give anything to pay the price to save his children. He could have given up. He could have turned his back. He could have walked away from the wretched mess the world became, but he didn’t. God didn’t give up on us.

Jesus’ prayer on the cross was about you. His pain on the cross was for you. His passion that brought him there, was you. Before he went to the cross, Jesus went to the garden. And when he spoke with his Father, you were in his prayers. As Jesus looked into heaven, you were in his vision. As Jesus dreamed of the day when we will be where he is, he saw you there...

After laying in the grave for three days, the body of Christ was raised from the dead; an occurrence deemed in any culture - modern or ancient - as spectacular, even miraculous. What is even more miraculous about this resurrection is that it was predicted, long before Jesus ever took on human form, through various prophecies throughout the Older Testament and foretold by Jesus himself, prior to his trial and death.

The resurrection of Christ affirmed the centre-point, or ‘crux’ of the Christian faith – legitimizing Jesus’ repeated claim to be the Son of God. However, the question may remain, ‘What does the resurrection of Jesus Christ mean for me to today?’ For one, if we believe that Jesus Christ rose from the dead then we also believe that Jesus is who he claimed to be. In John 11:25, Jesus tells a mourning Martha and Mary that, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who lives in me and believes in me will never die”. The resurrection of Christ also means that Jesus did what he promised to do. Author and speaker, Max Lucado, comments:

“Jesus’ death was not a tragic surprise. Calvary was not a knee-jerk response to a world plummeting toward destruction. It was not a patch-up job or a stopgap measure. The death and resurrection of the Son of God was anything but an unexpected happening. No, it was part of an incredible plan. A calculated choice” (“The Cross”, 28).

Christ knew all along what lay in store for him; what extreme hardships he would succumb to and what great triumphs he would conquer.

By Christ rising from the dead, it meant that Jesus had the power he claimed to have. No other ‘human’ or mortal less than God could have raised himself from the dead or have predicted his own death and resurrection. His resurrection was the climax of his miraculous capabilities. Upon death, he took on him the faults and evils previously deemed ‘unforgivable’ and forgave them. Upon resurrection, he made a way for our faith, not our works, to be enough. Colossians 2:14 says, “He [Jesus] cancelled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it on the cross” (NLT).

The resurrection matters because it means that Jesus is alive and fully present to offer guidance, comfort and wisdom with all of life’s decisions. On our own, it is impossible to handle all that life sends, but God can handle it if we offer control of our lives to him. He then returns it, with a brand new perspective. The death and resurrection of Christ allowed for believers to be met with the Spirit of Jesus, who provides hope in hopeless times, grace in times of unforgiveness, comfort in times of struggle and strength in seasons of weakness.

The resurrection matters because, through Christ’s sacrifice and eternal life, our future can now be secure. Because of his resurrection, we can be certain of our own resurrection. The promise of an eternal life (heaven) is offered to all who choose to believe that Christ Jesus is who he said is and accepts the unmerited forgiveness, grace, and love that he offers.

Why does resurrection matter, you ask? Because without it, our lives would end with the grave. No hope. No redemption. No everlasting love of a Father God.

Why does resurrection matter? Because, regardless of our behavior, despite our sins, no matter how bad we are, we can have that undeniable hope of an eternal residence with the One who took it all away. That is why there was a cross. That is why there was a sacrifice. That is why there was a resurrection. And that is why it matters.

Posted April 01, 2010