After his suffering, he showed himself to [the apostles] and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. (Acts 1:3)
Last week, as we were leading up to Easter Sunday, we took a brief look at some of the proofs for the Resurrection that are impossible for even the most hardened unbeliever to argue away. Today, on the day after we celebrated that the One who had undoubtedly died walked out of His grave alive and well, we will add one final point of proof under the heading, “No April Fooling!”
The Resurrection is the most important event in history, and it is the foundation upon which Christianity rests. If Jesus did not rise from the dead, conquering death, our last enemy, our faith would be as powerless as it would be pointless. But the disciples clearly believed that Jesus was and is alive, and they gave up their lives for the message of the Resurrection.
Remember, the disciples were not expecting a Savior who would come and die for their sins; they were looking for a Messiah who would come and destroy the enemies of Israel, reestablish the throne of David, and fully restore the nation of Israel to its former power and glory. When they witnessed the arrest of Jesus, culminating in His terrible death on a cross, what they had believed in died.
The disciples were there! They heard the hammers driving the nine-inch nails through the hands and feet of Jesus. They saw Him stop breathing, and they watched the spear pierce His lifeless body. They knew His dead body had been wrapped and placed in a tomb. They ran and hid, fearing they would meet the same fate. Yet something happened to cause this cowering band of disciples to begin courageously proclaiming the name of Jesus and to give up their lives for what they believed.
The followers of Jesus did not die for a religion; they died for the Redeemer, who walked out of His grave on that first Easter morning and showed Himself to hundreds of witnesses for the next forty days before He ascended to heaven.
These disciples preached the truth of a resurrected Jesus; as we saw last week, they did not die for a lie. They died for a truth that they witnessed firsthand, and they did so knowing what would happen when they took their last breath: They would be ushered into the presence of their resurrected King (2 Corinthians 5:8).
So on this day when many people will play some kind of “April Fool’s Joke,” remember that the Resurrection is not one of them. It is a literal, historical fact that you can depend on and trust in. And I have learned during my years as a pastor that if Jesus can walk out of a sealed tomb, He can walk into the most hardened, tightly sealed heart and raise it from death to life. May this be the confession of your life, and may it be the message you joyfully share with others.
This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!
Grace for the Race 