Pastor’s Reflection for Easter 2020

If someone in the fifteenth century sincerely believed that people could fly to the moon he would have been regarded

as being crazy. Now we know it to be a historical fact. Just because we don’t understand how something may be possible does

not make it impossible. Atheists however have correctly understood that if the physical resurrection of Jesus from the dead

can be disproved, then all the claims and promises of Christ become meaningless and Christian hope is nothing more than

sentimental wishful thinking. Many have tried to explain how such an extraordinary claim that Jesus Christ has risen from the

dead could have ever got off the ground. His dead body was laid in a tomb and sealed with a large stone. But when women

returned on the Sunday to complete the rushed burial he was given on the Friday, they found that the stone to the entrance

rolled away, the grave clothes that had been wrapped around Jesus, but not his body. Some say his body was stolen, others

say the disciples all had the same hallucination of his resurrection appearance, still others say that he never really died in the

first place but only fainted, and after being placed in a refreshing cool tomb he is supposed to have revived, pushed the large

stone away, overcome the soldiers guarding the tomb and made good his disappearance. But each theory raises more

problems and is harder to believe than the claim that he rose from the dead. A key question to ask people is whether they

have already made up their minds before considering the evidence? We need to call upon people to have an open and fair

mind and consider the facts. If one has already made up their mind that a physical resurrection just cannot happen then any

evidence to the contrary will be resisted or dismissed.

If you are still unsure, let me ask you, how fair minded are you? Have you ever carefully considered the overwhelming

evidence for the physical resurrection of Jesus from the dead? Everything that Christianity promises stands or falls over this

one event. If it is not true, I have been a gullible fool who has given up a career to follow a dead Jewish leader and to try to

persuade others that there is hope because of him. That would be such a waste of a lifetime. However if he really did rise from

the dead that changes everything, It means there is hope and power to live a new life even in the face of death. It means Jesus

is who he claimed to be, he is the Son of God who will return to judge the world and save his people. It means grief can give

way to joy. It means we can have peace in the midst of trouble. So much is at stake over the truth of this one event and what

we do with it.

Please take time over the Easter break to have a look at the short book called Easter Uncut that helps us consider

what really happened and why it really matters. Another excellent little book that helps the genuine enquirer think through all

the issues is “More Than a Carpenter” by Josh McDowell. He was a non Christian solicitor who wanted to prove to his Christian

friends that Jesus was just a carpenter. He embarked upon a thorough investigation of what had happened. He was shocked

by what he discovered and had to change the title of his book. Why not read one of these books over the Easter break. 1

Better still why not read one of the Gospels? Why not once and for all get to the bottom of what actually did happen? Who

can afford to hold onto an inadequate view of Jesus without a serious investigation as to what actually did happen? The

evidence for the resurrection is quite overwhelming for anyone who bothers to check it out. May God help us point those

with genuine questions to where they can find the answers that can help them.

Despite the impact of the present restrictions, may you all have a meaningful and safe Easter holiday filled with joy

and peace in believing that Jesus has indeed risen from the dead.

Your servant in Christ

Ray

1 Other books on the same issue are, Lee Strobel’s The Case for Easter and The Case for Christ.

WHAT DID HAPPEN?