Easter Devotional

“12 But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. 15 More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. 19 If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.”

“For Paul, if Jesus did not rise from the dead, Christianity is false, we will be judged for our sins by the true God, and Christians who have died are lost. In addition, Paul writes a few verses later, ‘If the dead are not raised, let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.’ In other words, if Jesus’ resurrection did not occur, we may as well live it up, because this life is all there is.” (Gary Habermas, The Case for the Resurrection of Jesus.)
Jesus did rise though, and that truth makes all the difference in the world! But how can we know that Jesus did in fact rise from the dead? Now more than ever, as believer’s, we must be convinced and be able to convince others of the truth of the resurrection of Jesus. During the next seven days we will be looking at a few of the powerful truths that can help us know the truth and equip us to help others come to know the truth that Jesus rose from the dead, and our faith is not in vain!

Over the next 7 days we will be looking at something known as the “Minimum Facts Approach” developed by Bible scholar, author, and apologist, Gary Habermas. This is a powerful method of demonstrating the truth of the resurrection using facts which are virtually incontrovertible.
“This approach considers only those data that are so strongly attested historically that they are granted by nearly every scholar who studies the subject, even the rather skeptical ones… Most facts we use meet two criteria: They are well evidenced and nearly every scholar accepts them. We present our case using the ‘lowest common denominator’ of agreed-upon facts. This keeps attention on the central issue, instead of sidetracking into matters that are irrelevant. This way we can present a strong argument that is both supportable and compelling.” (Gary Habermas, The Case for the Resurrection of Jesus.)
The minimum facts include:
Jesus died by crucifixion.
Jesus’ disciples believed that he rose and appeared to them.
The church persecutor Paul was suddenly changed.
The skeptic James, brother of Jesus, was suddenly changed.
The tomb was empty.

Every day we either read or watch or hear of a new disaster, so that the one that happened yesterday is quickly forgotten with the news of one that happens today. And the one that happens today will be driven from our minds by what happens tomorrow. Even if the disaster is of record-breaking, biblical proportions, within a short time it is no longer front-page news and becomes just a statistic or an asterisk in other stories. We soon forget that those who lived through whatever the disaster was are still struggling to cope. To take the next breath. To survive financially and physically and emotionally and in every other way. It can be overwhelming to rebuild. From scratch. From nothing into something. The comeback trail can be long and hard and flooded with tears.
Which is why Easter pulsates with hope! After the horror of the cross on Friday, after the agony of knowing that God’s Son was dead on Saturday, the beginning of His Comeback Story exploded into human history with an empty tomb!
If Jesus never came back from the dead … if He was not raised … what difference would that make to you? To our world?
Who do you know who is living as though Jesus was dead? What difference do you think it would make to them if they could know He is alive?
The wonderful, good news of the Gospel is that there can be a Comeback Story for each of us. Not only can we rebuild our lives, we can actually be reborn! Because Jesus lives, we can live, too—not just one day in Heaven, but right here and now as we struggle with our own Comeback Story from alcoholism, addiction, depression, disaster, betrayal, brokenness, bankruptcy or whatever has seemed to bury us. We, too, can explode into abundant life and joy and hope and power through fully trusting in Him. As we work out the day-to-day process of coming back, we can experience His peace and power and presence and purpose. And one day, our Comeback Trail will end at His throne in our Heavenly Home, and we will reign with Him in glory! Now that’s a story to tell!
Would you celebrate this Easter by telling others that His Comeback Story can be theirs?
(Anne Graham Lotz)

“20 But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.21 For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. 22 For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. 23 But each in turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him. 24 Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. 25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death. 27 For he “has put everything under his feet.” Now when it says that “everything” has been put under him, it is clear that this does not include God himself, who put everything under Christ. 28 When he has done this, then the Son himself will be made subject to him who put everything under him, so that God may be all in all.”

Jesus died by crucifixion.

The first of the five minimum facts regarding the resurrection of Jesus Christ is the fact that He died by crucifixion. All four Gospels in the Bible give an account of this fact. You may be thinking, “well, yeah, of course, who doesn’t know that? Even people who are not Christians know that Jesus died by crucifixion." There are some, however, who try to deny that Jesus died in this manner. For that matter, there are some who try to claim that Jesus was never a real person to begin with, although both are not widely held beliefs admittedly. Nevertheless, the first fact that we must consider when discussing the resurrection is first the fact that Jesus did indeed die, and that by crucifixion.
It is not only the Bible that gives an account of the fact of Jesus’ death as resulting from being crucified, many other secular writings from the time also record this fact.
“Josephus writes, ‘When Pilate, upon hearing him accused by men of the highest standing among us, had condemned him to be crucified…’ Tacitus reports, ‘Nero fastened the guilt [of the burning of Rome] and inflicted the most exquisite tortures on a class hated for their abominations, called Christians by the populace. Christus, from whom the name had its origins, suffered the extreme penalty during the reign of Tiberius at the hands of one of our procurators, Pontius Pilatus.’” (Gary Habermas, The Case for the Resurrection of Jesus.)
Josephus was a Jewish historian and military leader in the 1st century AD.  He worked to record historical events relating to the Roman government and served at the behest of several Roman Emperors.
Tacitus was a Roman historian and politician in the first century AD.
Neither of these men were Christians, yet both of these men record the fact that Jesus was indeed killed by crucifixion.
Other secular and non-biblical sources that record this fact include, Lucian of Samosata (the Greek satirist), and The Talmud (the central text of Rabbinic Judaism) as well as others. (Habermas)
Even modern critics affirm the fact of the crucifixion of Jesus.
“The highly critical scholar… John Dominic Crossan, writes, ‘That he was crucified is as sure as anything historical can ever be.’” (Habermas)
The crucifixion of Jesus is a well documented and evidenced fact of history.
Two points of consideration… First, in order to be resurrected from the dead, one must first die, and second, that the Messiah would die by crucifixion fulfills biblical prophecy. (Psalm 22:16-17, Isaiah 53:5, Zechariah 12:10)

The whole system of Christianity rests upon the fact that “Christ is risen from the dead;” for, “If Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain: ye are yet in your sins.” The divinity of Christ finds its surest proof in his resurrection, since he was “Declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.” It would not be unreasonable to doubt his Deity if he had not risen. Moreover, Christ’s sovereignty depends upon his resurrection, “For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living.” Again, our justification, that choice blessing of the covenant, is linked with Christ’s triumphant victory over death and the grave; for “He was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.” Nay, more, our very regeneration is connected with his resurrection, for we are “Begotten again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” And most certainly our ultimate resurrection rests here, for, “If the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.” If Christ be not risen, then shall we not rise; but if he be risen then they who are asleep in Christ have not perished, but in their flesh shall surely behold their God. Thus, the silver thread of resurrection runs through all the believer’s blessings, from his regeneration onwards to his eternal glory, and binds them together. How important then will this glorious fact be in his estimation, and how will he rejoice that beyond a doubt it is established that “now is Christ risen from the dead.”
         “The promise is fulfill’d,
         Redemption’s work is done,
         Justice with mercy’s reconciled,
         For God has raised his Son.” (Charles Spurgeon)

Over the next 7 days we will be looking at something known as the “Minimum Facts Approach” developed by Bible scholar, author, and apologist, Gary Habermas. This is a powerful method of demonstrating the truth of the resurrection using facts which are virtually incontrovertible.
“This approach considers only those data that are so strongly attested historically that they are granted by nearly every scholar who studies the subject, even the rather skeptical ones… Most facts we use meet two criteria: They are well evidenced and nearly every scholar accepts them. We present our case using the ‘lowest common denominator’ of agreed-upon facts. This keeps attention on the central issue, instead of sidetracking into matters that are irrelevant. This way we can present a strong argument that is both supportable and compelling.” (Gary Habermas, The Case for the Resurrection of Jesus.)
The minimum facts include:
Jesus died by crucifixion.
Jesus’ disciples believed that he rose and appeared to them.
The church persecutor Paul was suddenly changed.
The skeptic James, brother of Jesus, was suddenly changed.
The tomb was empty.

“29 Now if there is no resurrection, what will those do who are baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized for them? 30 And as for us, why do we endanger ourselves every hour? 31 I face death every day—yes, just as surely as I boast about you in Christ Jesus our Lord. 32 If I fought wild beasts in Ephesus with no more than human hopes, what have I gained? If the dead are not raised,
“Let us eat and drink,
    for tomorrow we die.”
33 Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.” 34 Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning; for there are some who are ignorant of God—I say this to your shame.”

Jesus’ disciples believed that He rose and appeared to them.
Jesus died by crucifixion. We looked at that fact yesterday.
The second Minimum Fact that we will look at today is that after Jesus’ death His disciples genuinely believed that He appeared to them, physically, bodily, alive again from the dead.
“There is a virtual consensus among scholars who study Jesus’ resurrection that, subsequent to Jesus’ death by crucifixion, his disciples really believed that he appeared to them risen from the dead. This conclusion has been reached by data that suggests that (1) the disciples themselves claimed that the risen Jesus had appeared to them, and (2) subsequent to Jesus’ death by crucifixion, his disciples were radically transformed from fearful, cowering individuals who denied and abandoned him at his arrest and execution into bold proclaimers of the gospel of the risen Lord.” (Gary Habermas, The Case for the Resurrection of Jesus.)
In fact, they all faced extreme persecution, imprisonment, torture, and ultimately martyrdom for their claims, which they could have escaped if only they would recant and deny that Jesus had risen from the dead. Yet, all, save John the son of Zebedee, willingly went to their own death as a result of their unwavering testimony that Jesus did in fact rise from the dead. According to church history, John did face martyrdom twice, but survived both poisoning and being boiled alive in oil, after which he was exiled to a hard labor camp on the rock quarry island of Patmos as a result of his own testimony of the resurrection of Jesus.
One thing is for certain, “It is very clear that they sincerely believed that Jesus rose from the dead.” (Habermas)
Apart from their own accounts recorded in the four Gospels, there are nine additional early and independent sources that verify that the disciples did indeed believe Jesus rose from the dead. They “fall into three categories: (1) the testimony of Paul about the disciples; (2) the oral tradition that passed through the early church; and (3) the written works of the early church.” (Habermas)
Early church fathers such as Clement, Polycarp, and others all verify that the disciples claimed to have witnessed and interacted with the risen Christ. That they believed it and went to their deaths willingly as a testimony to the truthfulness of it is simply a fact of history.
This raises the question of why? Why would they all be willing to die for their claim? These same men who fled in the garden when Jesus was arrested were changed forever by what they experienced after He rose from the dead.
“Such strength of conviction indicates that they were not just claiming that Jesus rose from the dead and appeared to them… They really believed it.” (Habermas)
And that belief made all the difference.

A reasonable view seems to be that those who are baptized refers to living believers who give outward testimony to their faith in baptism by water because they were first drawn to Christ by the exemplary lives, faithful influence, and witness of believers who had subsequently died. Paul’s point is that if there is no resurrection and no life after death, then why are people coming to Christ to follow the hope of those who have died?” (John MacArthur)
"It is an obvious truth, that unbelievers and hypocrites do not become martyrs. People do not die for something they hold lightly. They do not die for something about which they have doubts. They do not die for things they do not believe are worthy of life and death. People give their lives only for causes to which they are wholeheartedly committed. And one of those great realities is the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, who said, "Because I live, ye, too, shall live also." And millions of Christians have given their lives in living and given their lives in dying with the hope of that resurrection truth." (John MacArthur)

“35 But someone will ask, “How are the dead raised? With what kind of body will they come?” 36 How foolish! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. 37 When you sow, you do not plant the body that will be, but just a seed, perhaps of wheat or of something else. 38 But God gives it a body as he has determined, and to each kind of seed he gives its own body. 39 Not all flesh is the same: People have one kind of flesh, animals have another, birds another and fish another. 40 There are also heavenly bodies and there are earthly bodies; but the splendor of the heavenly bodies is one kind, and the splendor of the earthly bodies is another. 41 The sun has one kind of splendor, the moon another and the stars another; and star differs from star in splendor.
42 So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; 43 it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power;”

The church persecutor Paul was suddenly changed.
“Saul of Tarsus, better known by history as the apostle Paul, changed from being a skeptic who believed it was God’s will to persecute the church to becoming one of its most influential messengers.” (Gary Habermas, The Case for the Resurrection of Jesus.)
Paul himself, in his writings (Corinthians, Galatians, and Philippians) records his personal testimony of going from persecuting the church of Jesus Christ to its biggest advocate and missionary. Luke, the author of the Gospel of Luke and the Book of Acts likewise records the transformation story of Saul the persecutor to Paul the apostle.
Additionally, the reputation of Saul and his conversion story to Paul were widely circulated via oral transmission among the early church.
“Paul hints at this in an interesting statement to the Galatians. He tells them that three years after his conversion he was not known by sight to the believers in Galatia. Rather these believers were told, ‘He who once persecuted us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy,’ verifying that others either knew or had heard of his pre-Christian actions against the church.” (Habermas)
What caused this change? Why did Paul go from one who persecuted and tried to destroy the church to one of its biggest and most outspoken supporters, ultimately enduring his own persecution, imprisonment, torture, and martyrdom for the faith?
Simple answer, he too had a life changing encounter with the risen Christ.
“Paul’s conversion is so interesting because he was an enemy of the church when he claimed to have seen the risen Jesus. Thus, Jesus’ resurrection is testified to by friends and also by a foe. His belief that he had witnessed the risen Christ was so strong that he, like the original disciples, was willing to suffer continuously for the sake of the gospel, even to the point of martyrdom. This point is well documented, reported by Paul himself, as well as Luke, Clement of Rome, Polycarp, Tertullian, Dionysius of Corinth, and Origen. Therefore, we have early, multiple, and firsthand testimony that Paul converted from being a staunch opponent of Christianity to one of its greatest proponents.” (Habermas)

As we approach the celebration of Good Friday, I’m reminded of the seven sayings of Jesus from the cross and the glory and the power in each saying.
"Father, forgive them"
"Today you will be with me in paradise"
"Woman, behold your son... son Behold your mother"
"My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"
"I thirst"
"It is finished"
"Father, into your hands I commit my spirit".
Jesus was alone. He had come to His own, and His own did not receive Him. When He was being arrested in the garden of Gethsemane, we are told that “all the disciples deserted him and fled” (Matthew 26:56). The crowds who had so recently shouted, “Hosanna!” would soon shout, “Crucify him! … Crucify him!” (Matthew 21:9, 27:22–23).
Now even His loyal Twelve had left. And at last we hear Him cry out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Mark 15:34). Not only had He been forsaken by His human companions, but now in that desperate and lonely hour, He—because He was bearing our sins in His own body on the cross—had been forsaken by God. Jesus was enduring the suffering and judgment of Hell for you and for me.
“How can you show your gratitude to God for allowing His Son to endure the shame and suffering of the cross?” (Billy Graham)

44 it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.
If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. 45 So it is written: “The first man Adam became a living being”; the last Adam, a life-giving spirit. 46 The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual. 47 The first man was of the dust of the earth; the second man is of heaven. 48 As was the earthly man, so are those who are of the earth; and as is the heavenly man, so also are those who are of heaven. 49 And just as we have borne the image of the earthly man, so shall we bear the image of the heavenly man.”

The skeptic James, brother of Jesus, was suddenly changed.
There are numerous places in the Gospels that indicate that James the brother of Jesus was not a believer prior to the resurrection. Can you really blame him? How many of you that have a brother would be willing to entertain the idea that your brother was the Messiah?
“The Gospels report that Jesus’ brothers, including James, were unbelievers during his ministry (Mark 3:21, 31; 6:3-4; John 7:5).” (Gary Habermas, The Case for the Resurrection of Jesus.)
After the resurrection, Jesus appeared to His brother James. Paul records this event, “Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles” (1 Corinthians 15:7 NIV)
In the Book of Acts (Acts 15:12-21), and in Paul’s Letter to the church at Galatia (Galatians 1:19), we find out that James the brother of Jesus is not only a believer, but that he is the leader of the church at Jerusalem.
Not only was James a believer after the resurrection, but like Paul and the other disciples, he too went willingly to his death as a witness to the resurrection of Jesus from the dead.
“Not only did James convert to Christianity, his beliefs in Jesus and his resurrection were so strong that he died a martyr because of them. James’s martyrdom is attested by Josephus, Hegesippus, and Clement of Alexandria… Therefore, his martyrdom is attested by both Christian and non-Christian sources.” (Habermas)
I am not sure what would have to happen for you to come to believe that your own brother was the Messiah, but for James apparently it took a miracle… the miracle of the resurrection!

Good Friday celebrates the day our Lord died for our sins on the cross. I have often sat by the hour and tried to imagine the agony and suffering He went through because of our sins. At one point He said from the cross, “It is finished” (John 19:30). He meant that God had accepted His work on the cross as the penalty for our sins.
Christ’s death on our behalf is the reason God can forgive us and still be just. And His death teaches us the depth and breadth that there should be in our forgiveness of one another.
While that holy Friday was tremendous, it was only a prelude to Sunday morning when He was raised from the dead. Godly women had come to see His tomb, but angels made the glorious announcement, “He has risen!” (Luke 24:6). His resurrection guaranteed that we, too, will be raised, if we are believers and obeyers of His Word.

"As you celebrate the truth that Jesus came from Heaven to redeem you, are you reflecting His likeness to those around you?” (Billy Graham)