Victory in death and life

Faith is believing in things unseen, but not in a foolish or unintelligent way. We don’t see the wind, but we believe in it intelligently because of the evidence.

I learned a new word recently: HISTORICITY. “Historicity is the historical actuality of persons and events, meaning the quality of being part of history instead of being a historical myth, legend, or fiction. The historicity of a claim about the past is its factual status. Historicity denotes historical actuality, authenticity, factuality and focuses on the true value of knowledge claims about the past.” (From Wikipedia--I know, I know... BUT!)

Credible, logical, modern examinations confirm the historicity of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. 

Death

Accounts of experts on ancient Rome confirm that no Roman guard would have allowed anyone to escape from crucifixion alive. Modern medicine confirms cause of death of crucifixion would exhibit itself by a flow of blood and water as recorded when Jesus side was pierced (shock, pericardial and pleural effusion, and heart failure). And it is inconceivable to think that someone beaten and on the brink of death who had narrowly escaped was three days later able to start a movement so convincing as the early church. There is no logical dispute that Jesus died. 

Burial

However. Written accounts (both Biblical and outside the Bible) confirm that the body of Christ was placed in a tomb, the body of Christ disappeared, and Jewish leaders and Romans, who were both motivated to produce his body and prove him dead, were unable to do so. 

Resurrection

And then he was reported alive. One of the oldest texts in the New Testament is 1 Corinthians, dated by scholars to around 51 AD, which includes an early church creed in chapter 15, established early in the formation of the new church and dated to within only a few years after the death of Christ. (The dating confirms the statement's historicity, rather than occurring after sufficient time for legend to form.) In possibly the oldest documented testimony of the Christian claim, Paul wrote: “For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born” (vs. 3-8).

The resurrection of Jesus Christ was believable enough for those witnesses named in New Testament times who could have easily been challenged, to hold onto their claims in the face of Roman (gruesome) death, and in such a fashion as to inspire others to join them! It is unlikely those named above by Paul would have done so if they knew their beliefs to have been a lie. It is inexplicable, yet it is what the evidence points to logically. (Seriously, take a look at Lee Strobel's Case for Christ.)

It takes faith, and an openness to spiritual things. But if a person is open, then it is faith very well placed.

So what?

The entire point of the resurrection wasn’t to perform a party trick, but was the victory of an all-powerful, good God over death. Even if Jesus Christ died to take the weight of our sins on himself, what good is a dead God? Because of Christ’s victory over death, he bestows not just forgiveness, but life. We can share in his victory over death.

One thing that is common to us all, regardless of religion, nation, race or gender, is that death comes for us all. I attended the funeral of my colleague’s 28-year-old son this week. What was striking is that the hope for life in Christ isn’t just for the dead and dying, but that there is reason for hope as a living people. Not only is there hope that our loved ones' souls live on somewhere, and hope of life after death for ourselves, but somehow there is hope in living life.

1 Corinthians 15 referenced above continues with a pertinent issue of the time in verses 54-58: When the perishable [physical] has been clothed with the imperishable [spiritual], and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.” [Whose victory?] “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

The quote there is referencing prophecy recorded in Isaiah 25:8-9: “He will swallow up death forever. The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears from all faces; he will remove his people’s disgrace from all the earth. The Lord has spoken. In that day they will say, “Surely this is our God; we trusted in him, and he saved us. This is the Lord, we trusted in him; let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation.”

Victory over death, but also victory over sorrow and disgrace. It is noteworthy that both passages conclude similarly—this is from God. HE gives the victory; let us trust in him and be thankful and glad.

This is especially on my heart today. My colleague's son succumbed in this life, but there is hope that though he had earthly troubles, he doesn’t any longer. He is at peace and is with God. And there is hope for his mother, that she will get to see him again, that this marks a victory, and she can be thankful and glad, even when she is brokenhearted in her loss. (Remarkably, we saw that at his funeral.) And there is hope for me, that, even when I mess up in the worst way, God has made a way for me, he will never let me go, and ultimately I share in His victory.

We don’t have a dead God. We have a victorious living God, who wipes away our guilt because of Christ’s perfect propitiation, who wipes away our tears and cares for our sorrows, and who grants us victory and life. "Let us trust in him and be thankful and glad!"

P.S. Hugs are healthy! Research has literally found that "We need 4 hugs a day for survival. We need 8 hugs a day for maintenance. We need 12 hugs a day for growth.” 

Can you think of the last time you received 4 hugs in a day?!? What is a way to offer "therapeutic touch" in a touch-phobic society?