JESUS IS RISEN FROM THE DEAD

JESUS IS RISEN FROM THE DEAD

Cornelius Afebu Omonokhua

On Wednesday, April 3, 2013, at 8.51 am, I receive a message from a Muslim friend, that “the words of Jesus are the reported speeches by Luke, Matthew and John while the speech in Qur’an 4: 159 is the word of Angel Gabriel to Muhammad 600 years after Jesus, that Jesus was not killed or crucified by his enemies. This was a reaction to my publication in Sunday Trust and Pilot Newspapers of April 1, 2013, “The Words of Jesus Christ on the Cross.” I wonder if those who have believed in the resurrection of Jesus Christ for 600 years before the compilation of the Qur’an just wasted their time. 

The “empty tomb” has attracted more attention and discussion perhaps than any other subject in the world history of religion. Mankind will forever remember the empty tomb and the historical record of the resurrection and the post resurrection appearances of Jesus Christ. The historical evidence for the resurrection of Jesus Christ is so great that billions of people put their trust in Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour as against many theories that attempt to show that the resurrection of Jesus Christ was a fraud and a myth.  Christians do not question the faith of other religious adherents in their prophets. The Moslem faith is based on the teaching of Mohammed.  Buddhism is based on the teachings of Buddha; Confucianism on the teachings of Confucius and the ideology of Marxism on the teachings of Karl Marx.  Christianity is founded on the person, teaching and actions of Jesus Christ. The scriptural basis to discourse the founders of other religions is absent in the Judeo-Christian Bible.

Every Christian believes that the Bible is the word of God. The birth, life, death and the resurrection of Jesus Christ are recorded in the four gospels. The Acts of the Apostles gives an account of the witnesses of the Apostles and disciples who were with Jesus Christ and those like Paul to whom the risen Christ revealed himself. The testimony of Paul who saw the risen Lord in the process of persecuting the Christian faith in the resurrection is very instructive to those who sincerely seek the truth about the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Paul says that if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain. For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied (1 Corinthians 15, 14-19).

Paul gives an account of his own personal experience with the risen Jesus. ^“And it came about that as I was on my way, approaching Damascus about noontime, a very bright light suddenly flashed from heaven all around me, and I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’ ^“And I answered, ‘who are you, Lord?’ And He said to me, ‘I am Jesus the Nazarene, whom you are persecuting.’ ^“And those who were with me beheld the light, to be sure, but did not understand the voice of the One who was speaking to me. ^“And I said, ‘what shall I do, Lord?’ And the Lord said to me, ‘Arise and go on into Damascus; and there you will be told of all that has been appointed for you to do” (Acts 22, 6-10).

Jesus is the eternal word of God (John 1, 1). Christ himself pointed to his resurrection as the final proof of his person (Matthew 12, 39-40) “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in me shall live even if he dies” (John 11, 25).  Thomas doubted the resurrection of Jesus: “And after eight days again his disciples were inside and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors having been shut, and stood in their midst, and said, “Peace be with you.”  Then He said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; bring your hand, and put it into my side; doubt no longer but believe.” Thomas answered and said to him, “My Lord and my God!”  Jesus said to him, “You believe because you have seen me but blessed are they who did not see, and yet believe” (John 20, 26-31).

God has fixed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness through Jesus whom he has appointed by raising him from the dead (Acts 17, 31). Jesus is declared both Lord and Christ. He is the Messiah of the Old Testament prophecy and expectation. This is confirmed by his resurrection (Acts 10, 36-43; Acts 2, 22-36). Thus Jesus was declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead, according to the Spirit of holiness (Romans 1, 4). The resurrection is the final and convincing proof that Jesus is the Son of God (Romans 1, 4). He died for our sins and was raised for our justification (Romans 4, 25) so that we can have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 5, 1). “There is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men, by which we must be saved” (Acts 4, 12). “For you first, God raised up his Servant, and sent him to bless you by turning every one of you from your wicked ways” (Acts 3, 26).

In the name of the risen Jesus, the disciples were able to perform miracles (Acts 4, 1-10). Jesus offered himself so that we might be declared righteous by God (Romans 4, 25). Therefore, if he has risen, we become justified through faith in Christ. The resurrection is the only proof or evidence we have for pardon, acceptance of justification and peace with God. No sinner can have peace except on the ground of the death and resurrection of Christ (Romans 5, 1) which is a guarantee to newness of life. His resurrection proved that he has conquered sin and Satan and released us from the domination of sin (Romans 6, 4).

Perhaps those who are asking for amnesty even for terrorists are asking in the spirit of Easter. No religion has the basis and the capacity to think of pardon to people who have killed so many innocent people even in their places of worship except the religion of the crucified and risen Lord. Jesus came that we may have life and has it abundantly (John 10, 10). Jesus and his followers did not kill a single human being during his mission on earth. He did not train his followers to fight, rather, he promised to send them the Holy Spirit after his resurrection and his return to glory (John 7, 37-39; 14, 26; 15, 26; 16, 7). Jesus said, “Because I live, you shall live also” (John 14, 19). The words and actions of Jesus serve as a proof of his authority without the use of force and violence even at the highest provocation. Consequently, “there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men, by which we must be saved” (Acts 4, 12). 

Jesus stands at the door and knocks seeking the fellowship of believers who have not been with Him. We have the freedom to invite him in by having a renewal of life so that he can dine and fellowship with us (Revelation 3, 20).  The resurrection proves that Jesus is pre-eminent in each of our lives (Colossians 1, 15-18). “I urge you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship” (Romans 12, 1). The risen Christ sits in heaven as our advocate. As our Lord, he walks amongst the churches examining our lives (Revelations 2, 1). Paul told Timothy, “Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, descendant of David” (2 Timothy 2, 8). We can even flash back to the call to faith by Elijah, “How long will you linger between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him” (1 Kings 18, 21). God reminds us of his absolute sovereignty over life and death in resurrecting Jesus from the grave as Paul told the Corinthians, “Where, O death is your victory? Where, O death is your sting” (1 Corinthians 15, 55)? Jesus is risen indeed, alleluia!