In Touch Daily Devotional
by Dr. Charles Stanley
March 21, 2008 – The Resurrection: A Promise – Mark 16:1-6
From the first century on, people have struggled with the idea of resurrection, because it defies reason. But believing that Jesus rose from the dead is not negotiable for Christians. If the resurrection didn’t happen, then Jesus Christ did not triumph over death. And without His victory, we cannot be free from sin and its punishment.
There is strong evidence that Christ rose from the dead. First, He promised He would do so (Mark 8:31). His return to life wasn’t a fluke or trick; rather, it was part of God’s plan since the beginning. In fact, centuries before Jesus’ birth, Isaiah and Daniel prophesied about resurrection (Isaiah 26:19, Daniel 12:2).
Second, the disciples and apostles were so convinced Christ had returned to life that they proclaimed a risen Lord to a hostile world. They faced persecution, physical suffering, and even death for preaching their message. None of them would have willingly laid down their lives unless they were certain about Jesus’ atoning death and resurrection.
Finally, the Jewish believers transformed their worship methods to celebrate Jesus’ victory over the grave. They moved their day of worship from Saturday to Sunday because He arose on the first day of the week (Mark 16:2). Even more persuasive is the fact that they stopped bringing animal sacrifices because they accepted Jesus as the atonement for sin.
Jesus said He would rise again and then sit at His Father’s right hand in heaven. He did exactly as He promised. His supernatural return to life is confirmation that everything He said was 100 percent reliable.
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