This is part of a commentary on Luke Chapter 24 by Whitney T Kuniholm produced by Scripture Union for their 'Encounter With God' daily Bible reading guide. I found this so refreshing and topical, for by default, religion seems to have become a topic for discussion, with recent publicity given to New Atheists and Islam, for better or for worse. All sorts of things can be said about or attributed to Christianity, but the cross and resurrection are the that lynchpin, referred to below. This is what distinguishes Christian organisations from other humanitarian institutions, and this is something which should never be omitted from Christian charity.
"Today,believers around the world celebrate the most important truth of the Christian faith: Jesus Christ rose from the dead. Luke records the facts in chapter 24 - the stone was rolled away ( v2), the body was gone (v3), and two angels appeared and explained what had happened (vs4-7). This is the lynchpin of the Christian faith; remove it, and everything else falls apart. As Paul wrote,'And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.' (1 Cor 15:14).
How do we know it really happened?
First, circumstantial evidence: the tomb was empty and no-one produced a body, not even Jesus' enemies. Next, evidence from eyewitnesses: Mary Magdalene and this group of women (vs1,10), Cleopas and a friend (vs13-32), the disciples, both in Jerusalem (vs36-49) and beside Lake Galilee, and eventually more that 500 people at once.
Then there's the corroborating evidence - Josephus, the Roman historians and officials, the Jewish writings, the letters of Paul and the apostolic fathers. Finally, there's the evidence of the church, which has grown worldwide based on a belief in- and martyrdom for - the resurrection."
So in remembering Christ's sacrifice on the cross, let's celebrate his resurrection!
"Today,believers around the world celebrate the most important truth of the Christian faith: Jesus Christ rose from the dead. Luke records the facts in chapter 24 - the stone was rolled away ( v2), the body was gone (v3), and two angels appeared and explained what had happened (vs4-7). This is the lynchpin of the Christian faith; remove it, and everything else falls apart. As Paul wrote,'And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.' (1 Cor 15:14).
How do we know it really happened?
First, circumstantial evidence: the tomb was empty and no-one produced a body, not even Jesus' enemies. Next, evidence from eyewitnesses: Mary Magdalene and this group of women (vs1,10), Cleopas and a friend (vs13-32), the disciples, both in Jerusalem (vs36-49) and beside Lake Galilee, and eventually more that 500 people at once.
Then there's the corroborating evidence - Josephus, the Roman historians and officials, the Jewish writings, the letters of Paul and the apostolic fathers. Finally, there's the evidence of the church, which has grown worldwide based on a belief in- and martyrdom for - the resurrection."
So in remembering Christ's sacrifice on the cross, let's celebrate his resurrection!
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