Why Should You Believe in the Resurrection?

In a world of skeptical rationalism talking about resurrection seems far-fetched.  Trust me, teaching it is challenging too.  But on March 31 I’m going to do what (almost) all other Pastors will do.  I’m going to get up and tell anyone and everyone that attends our church that Jesus was raised from the dead, conquering death and securing life for all who believe.  I believe it.

Yes….defying human logic.

Yes…denying what we understand about biology.

Yes…never been done in history. (Except for this time)

It is hard to believe.  I get it.  I explain it to people for a living.  It’s no cakewalk.

The thing that is most intriguing to me though is how quickly we dismiss the resurrection.  Honestly, it almost seems counter-intuitive that we rationalize away this notion that speaks so deeply to the human soul.

Think about it, our culture is enamored with superheroes.  We love them because they are invincible.  They are “faster than a speeding bullet”, or they have weird webs that come our of their wrists, or they have a belt full of awesome gadgets (not exactly a super power but cool nonetheless).  We love the idea of something out there being bigger than us, stronger than us.  We love the mystery of ghost stories, and inexplicable occurrences.  But for some reason we balk at the belief that the resurrection could be true.  Why in the world would we have the capacity and the longing to believe in such things when science claims them to be rationally impossible?  It would seem Mother Nature is playing a cruel joke on us.

Here we have a story claiming that humanity’s greatest villain to ever exist was defeated.  Death was conquered; it was overcome.  Few human beings can ever claim to have slipped through death’s skeletal fingers, but Christ does. 

What we have in the resurrection of Christ is an opportunity to believe again; to cling to a mystery that defies what rationalism defends.   What we have in the resurrection is a great big bully, death, finally being confronted and overcome on our behalf.  How could we not celebrate that? In all reality, I would much rather believe that something like death can be overcome than to believe that my own humanity is limited to whatever purposeless experience I find on earth.  When you believe in the resurrection, death is overrated and life is eternal.

And, in all reality, believing in the resurrection is not so far-fetched after all.  There are historical accounts, eyewitness accounts, and most of these individuals were gruesomely murdered defending the resurrection.  Few are willing to die for a lie. 

So, whatever you are doing Easter weekend, and wherever you find yourself stop by a church.  Enjoy the opportunity to believe in the whimsy and wonder of death being beaten.  Listen as the Pastor deliberates on the importance and veracity of the resurrection.  Stand beside others willing fight the relentless villain of death with the only message that claims to have won.