Is Christ Resurrected?

And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. (1 Cor 15:17)  ESV

When Jesus was crucified and died, a soldier thrust a spear into His side to make absolutely sure He was dead. His body was placed in a sealed tomb and guards were stationed by it to make sure His disciples couldn't steal it and make up a story that He rose from the dead.

Of course the disciples were in no shape to attempt to steal the body. They were in hiding, wondering who'd be next to be arrested, tried, convicted and put to death.

But on the third day the body was gone. The soldiers couldn't explain how a dead body could have been taken from a sealed tomb that they were guarding, so they were paid to spread a preposterous lie that the disciples of Jesus had stolen the body. Of course if that had been the case the guards would have been executed for failing to do their duty.

Jesus died for a purpose. He was the Son of God who chose to be born as a human, so that He could live a sinless life and then be sacrificed not for His sins, of which there were none, but for our sins. He even saw to it that His death would take place at Passover, when spotless lambs were slain to commemorate the time when the angel of death had passed over the households of those Israelites who put blood from spotless lambs on their doorposts in obedience to God's command.

The resurrection of Jesus on the third day demonstrated that His Father accepted the sacrifice on the cross that Jesus had made for our sins. If He had not risen from the dead then it would have meant the sacrifice was unacceptable, and there was no atonement for our sins. We would all still be under the sentence of death and rejection by God and there would be nothing that we could do about it. Calling ourselves Christians would be a waste of breath, because believing in Jesus Christ and what He did would be worthless.

Jesus did rise from the dead. He did show Himself to His disciples and many others who were so sure of having seen Him after He rose from the dead that they couldn't deny it even when jailed, tortured, or executed.

Having faith in Jesus Christ, and His death in our place, and His glorious resurrection, is what gives us hope. It is the only hope that has a firm foundation that can and will hold up for all eternity.

Take the time to read the Bible, especially the New Testament. In those pages you can find truth and hope. Take the time to see what God wants you do know from His written Word.

Oh, want to know where the body of Jesus is today? In heaven. He rose with a resurrection body that cannot ever die. One day those who believe in Him will also have resurrected bodies that can no longer get sick or die and they will be with Jesus forever as well.