The Truth of the Resurrection

An agricultural fascination I admire every year here in rural Indiana is the process of growing winter wheat, planted in the fall and greening up even amidst snowfalls. How does that work? God, in His neverendingly creative ways, equipped the seeds of soft red winter wheat to scientifically triumph over nature’s harsh swipe at life that renders our earth dormant through freezes and blankets of white. During their first few months in the ground, the kernels are germinating, growing, and storing energy and nutrients while adapting to falling temperatures. The crop goes to sleep while automatically generating a protective hardening that delays its complete growth cycle until a more agreeable season. By late spring, the winter wheat has championed over winter’s frigidness and rallies into robust crops ready for harvest. Long before we understood why a certain variety of wheat behaved this way, it was routinely observed and then relied upon to behave predictably by those who wished to produce it.

This is really no different than the sun chasing away the night every 24 hours without fail. King David didn’t have the science sorted out about planets orbiting the sun or how fast the earth is rotating on its axis, but observably, he knew he could rely on daybreak to arrive without fail, comfortably referencing it throughout his poetry. The steady observation of such things, no matter how much they are taken for granted or how intriguingly complex they are, so solidifies our beliefs based on what we witness that it is not up for debate. This is exactly how the historical record of the resurrection of Jesus was treated for generations. Regardless, it is an alarming truth that today, one in four Americans denies the resurrection of Jesus, and another nearly 10% “doubt” His bodily resurrection occurred. More disconcerting is that three in ten regular church attenders are skeptical of the story of the risen Christ.[1]

Without getting into the abominations of denying God’s message, the mere notion that the resurrection of Jesus is irrelevant to the Gospel story is woefully shallow and incomplete. We need Jesus to survive our sins so that we can survive our sins! Otherwise, what is the point? There would be no faith, no eternity, no hope. C.S. Lewis said, “Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important.” The resurrection of Jesus was the most consequential happening in history, sending the course of our human story into a new trajectory.

The tomb was empty. John 20 gives an account of the very undoing of what Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea had done so lovingly just a few days earlier. John 19:38-42 describes these two believers in Jesus collecting His body from the cross, applying spices, myrrh, and aloes, and wrapping the crucified Christ in linen in accordance with Jewish burial customs. He was placed in a tomb, and the tomb was closed with a stone and sealed. By Sunday, it was an entirely different situation. The stone is rolled away, guards are instructed to lie about what happened to the body, the facial linen is folded neatly (not something graverobbers would take the time to do), and the Savior simply was not there.

There is no doubt Jewish leaders would have done anything to refute the truth that Jesus did what He said He would do—rise from the grave—alive again! If they had had any way to produce a body, they certainly would have. Some suggest the disciples sneaked the body away, yet the disciples ultimately died for this story, so it makes no sense they would have all died for a lie. Apologists J.P. Moreland and Lee Strobel both present the rational truth, in defense of this story, that people will die for religious beliefs they sincerely believe to be true, but they won’t die for religious beliefs they know to be false.

There were eyewitnesses. In addition to Mary, the mother of Jesus, and Mary Magdalene, Peter and John, Thomas and the other disciples, 1 Corinthians 15:6 says, “After that, He appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living.” (NIV used throughout). An extra-biblical “secondhand witness” came from Justin Martyr, who lived from AD 100-165. In his first Apology, he cited Roman records, specifically those from Pontius Pilate. These official records kept by the Roman governor of Judea, Justin Martyr says, confirmed the crucifixion, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Likewise, Tertullian seems to refer to the same records in a letter he wrote in AD 195.

Was George Washington the first president? How do you know apart from witnesses and recordkeepers? We know the same way we know of anything of historical record: the witnesses who bear testimony and the empirical data that backs it up. The witnesses testified that Jesus lives. The empirical data is an empty tomb and no body.

Lives were transformed. Before the resurrection, the disciples were scared, understandably. After the resurrection, they were resolved, even when that resolution cost them their lives. Church growth was on fire. Jewish traditions and practices changed, such as what was required of them to convert or what part of the week the believers set apart to focus on God, and the practices of worship. Sacrifice, access to the Heavenly Father, and focusing on eternity instead of this world were all transformations. Most especially, those practitioners of One God only were now worshipping God and His son, Jesus.

Jesus, Isaiah, and the Psalmist all said it was going to happen. Matthew 16:21 says, “From that time on, Jesus began to explain to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that He must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.” Isaiah lyrically stated, “He was assigned a grave with the wicked” (53:9a) and “After He has suffered, He will see the light of life and be satisfied” (53:11a). Even Job said, “I know my redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand on the earth” (Job 19:25).

The resurrection of Jesus matters. It matters first and foremost because it is the Truth. It matters because it is our salvation. Jesus survived our sins so that we have hope that would otherwise not exist. The resurrection of Jesus matters because He came from the grave in a new body that conquers death (1 Corinthians 15:35-58). This new body walks through closed doors (John 20:19), and this new body, unlike a spirit, consumes a meal (Luke 24:42-43). This new body will not perish.

The death of Jesus, as it happened, was necessary even though the violence was profound and excessive, making His death not just undisputed but impossible to forget. His death was also sufficient. No measure of depravity exceeds the brutality of His death. There is no depth of evil that His vicious journey to the grave did not surpass. Three days later, however, His resurrection, also necessary, beckons us all to acknowledge His Godship. His resurrection is our life. His resurrection is our hope. His resurrection is our victory. His resurrection is God’s purpose, God’s divine love, God’s authority, and God’s will. We are the witnesses to this, and we have our own testimony and experience to bring forth as our lives are radically changed by it.

Some years ago, a dear widow in our congregation had a daffodil garden planted on the church property. It is in the shape of the cross, and as the years have passed, this daffodil garden has grown dense and full in the most beautiful fashion. These flowers are entirely reliable about popping up through the soil as first-arrivers of spring. They have not wandered from the shape of the cross. They have simply made the cross more vibrant year after year. I’ve learned our great God designed daffodils to produce a natural antifreeze from converted starches within their bulbs, enabling them to survive harsh conditions. The warm spring air invites them to bloom, and then comes a late snow. The daffodils lay their heads down and seem to hide their faces from the cold. Days later, they’ve rebounded, standing up straight again and as alive as ever, fully resurrected. Our dear Nan should be most pleased that her notions of this garden demonstrate year after year that one remarkable event followed another, both of which are oh, so real! He bore our sins on the cross, and He survived death even still. So, now, can we? Jesus is alive. The resurrection happened. Bear witness, Friend.