The Hope We Have

Easter represents the hope we have because of the resurrection!

Each year this day renews my own faith and hope that I have in Christ.  One of the classic hymns I always loved to sing in church on Easter has been "He Lives" and the part that always excites me is where is says: "You ask me how I know He lives?  He lives within my heart!"

Today many do not believe and choose to celebrate with the Easter Bunny, colored eggs and candy.  Although I have no problem with those celebrations, there is more to Easter than those things.  The resurrection of Jesus Christ over 2,000 years ago gives us the hope and promise that death doesn't have to be the end for us and our departed loved ones. 

I think you would agree with me that our world needs hope.  There is so much division and hatred today.  People do not value the lives of others.  

Jesus Christ gives us hope.  The Easter Bunny does not.  The Easter Bunny is a fictional character.  Jesus Christ actually existed.  

Besides the gospels and the letters of Paul in the New Testament of the Bible, non-biblical works are also considered legitimate sources which prove the existence of Christ.  This includes the Antiquities of the Jews (Testimonium Flavianum, Jesus' own brother James) by Jewish historian and Galilean military leader Josephus.  He is also mentioned in Annals by Roman historian Tactius.  Multiple independent sources affirm that Jesus actually had siblings.  Contemporary non-Christian sources in the first and second centuries never deny the existence of Jesus including Pagan or Jewish writers who oppose Christianity.

Of course, none of these sources won't convince many who do not believe.  It comes down to whether you believe or not.  

If Christ had not risen from the dead, why would the Apostles have gone on with spreading the gospel?  Why make the sacrifices they made for a lie or some kind of conspiracy cover up?  They were also martyred for their beliefs.  

From GotQuestions.org:

While martyrdom is remarkable, it is not necessarily compelling. It does not validate a belief so much as it authenticates a believer (by demonstrating his or her sincerity in a tangible way). What makes the earliest Christian martyrs remarkable is that they knew whether or not what they were professing was true. They either saw Jesus Christ alive-and-well after His death or they did not. This is extraordinary. If it was all just a lie, why would so many perpetuate it given their circumstances? Why would they all knowingly cling to such an unprofitable lie in the face of persecution, imprisonment, torture, and death?

While the September 11, 2001, suicide hijackers undoubtedly believed what they professed (as evidenced by their willingness to die for it), they could not and did not know if it was true. They put their faith in traditions passed down to them over many generations. In contrast, the early Christian martyrs were the first generation. Either they saw what they claimed to see, or they did not.

Among the most illustrious of the professed eyewitnesses were the Apostles. They collectively underwent an undeniable change following the alleged post-resurrection appearances of Christ. Immediately following His crucifixion, they hid in fear for their lives. Following the resurrection they took to the streets, boldly proclaiming the resurrection despite intensifying persecution. What accounts for their sudden and dramatic change? It certainly was not financial gain. The Apostles gave up everything they had to preach the resurrection, including their lives.

You don't have to act crazy to be a believer and you don't have to join a church.  What harm is there to simply believe?  Faith doesn't mean we have to know everything or have all the facts.  What harm is it to believe that Jesus Christ rose from the grave which gives us the hope that we can also do the same?

I choose to believe.   I choose hope.