RESURRECTION – WHAT IT MEANS FOR US TODAY
By: Jack Guyler
The Gospel accounts of the resurrection of Jesus Christ are unique and based on historical evidence. The concept of resurrection is not unique to Christianity. Judaism and Islam teach that all individuals will be resurrected on the Day of Judgment. Ancient Egyptians believed in the resurrection of the god Osiris. Zoroastrianism, an ancient religion, teaches about a final resurrection and judgment. So the concept of resurrection is not unique to Christianity, but it is unique in two ways.
Many religions who teach the idea of resurrection teach it as a metaphorical concept, not an actual physical reality. The other thing is, and this is true of Judaism as well as most other religions, teach that resurrection from the dead only occurs at the end of history. This was the main stumbling block for Jews to believe that Jesus could have risen from the dead – because it was not at the end of history.
So what the Gospels teach – that Jesus actually rose from the dead in a physical body and in the middle of history (not at the end of history) – is unique. Now, even with this, it requires faith to believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. While the evidence certainly points toward this being a reality, it requires faith. First, we weren’t there to witness it ourselves. Second, none of us have seen a dead person come back to life.
But for the billions of people who believe in the resurrection of Jesus, it gives them the hope that they will one day be raised in bodily form to new and eternal life in the new world that is promised in scripture. In Revelation 21, it talks about resurrected people living in a new world where there will be no more tears, pain or suffering. What a joyful thought! It is hard to even imagine such a new world. This too requires faith in a God who can do the impossible. It is this God that compelled the followers of the Risen Christ to share the good news of forgiveness, peace, resurrection, and new life everywhere they went.
And while most people know that Easter has to do with a man being raised from the dead…and many know that man is Jesus Christ, the real question is, what does that mean for me today?
Here are ways I think the resurrection can impact our lives today:
It gives us hope that our loved ones and friends who have already died will be raised to new life and that we will one day see them again
If God can raise Jesus from death, He can help us resurrect the ashes of our situations to new and hopeful things. For example, we may have made a mess of our lives through alcohol, yet God can bring us to people and programs (such as AA) to find new life beyond alcohol. I have known many people who have fought to become sober and live very productive lives both at work and in their families. And at the same time, give back by being an inspiration to help others climb out of addiction as well
While hard times are inevitable in this life, they don’t have to last forever. With resurrection, there is always the hope of something new coming into our lives unexpectedly. I’ve seen people down to their last dollar, unexpectedly come into a new job that would pay them more salary and benefits than they could have imagined. I’ve seen people with a dire diagnosis find hope through new treatments or a miracle cure.
A God who can resurrect Jesus from death is also the God who can help us overcome barriers and mountains in our lives that we didn’t think possible through what Paul refers to as “knowing the power of the resurrection” (Philippians 3:10). He seems to indicate in this passage and in some of his other letters, that the power of God that raised Jesus from the dead isn’t just for when you physically die. It can also be called upon when things have died within you that you need to be raised or when you need to overcome something in your life that is otherwise insurmountable. Perhaps there is something in your life right now that you don’t think you can overcome. What might happen if you called upon God to give you the same power in your life that God used to raise Jesus from the dead?
In conclusion, the resurrection of Jesus Christ is what we celebrate each Easter season. But I don’t think the power of God – the power of the resurrection – is limited to the end of time. While we certainly need to hold onto hope for eternal resurrection, we certainly need to tap into the power of God to help us face everyday challenges in becoming more like Christ – such things as overcoming addictions, mental health challenges, limiting beliefs, letting go of things in our past that hold us back and finding supportive connections so we don’t have to do life alone. May we find the resurrection power of God in our daily lives as we seek the Risen Christ!
