THE MOST IMPORTANT EVENT

The Most Important Event in the History of the World.

Consider some of the following events.  All were pivotal and served to change society for all time.  ‘Defining moments’, as it were.

a)   Domestication of animals – for food and service.

b)   Invention of the wheel – for machines and transportation

c)   Development of agriculture – allowing the creation of communities

d)   Development of sea-worthy ships – allowing oceans to be crossed, new lands to   be discovered

e)  Writing and language – for communication

f)   Weaponry, such as the bow, the spear, and later the gun and gunpowder – for hunting, defense, and warfare

g)  Signing of the Magna Carta – clarification of  human rights

h)  Invention of the printing press – enhanced communication

i)   Invention of modern day electronics such as television, radio, and computers – enhanced communication

j)   Appearance of the world’s political and religious philosophies – to try and give a logical foundation for governmental systems

k)   The steam and internal combustion engines – to free us from only having horses and/or walking for travel

l)   Airplanes – to allow people to travel great distances

m)  Advancements in medical science – to maintain our health and increase our life span

n)  Space travel.  The ability to see the entire Earth as a beautiful blue ball suspended in infinite black space – an amazing perspective.

This list could go on and on and on.  But there’s one event that, if it happened, has the power to challenge the thoughts and hearts of countless people, who must then decide whether to accept the implications of it – or not.  On the other hand, if this certain event did not happen, the implications for the human race are profound indeed.  Let’s take a look at this event – the most important event (or non-event) in the history of the world.

What is it?  The resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

This event, if it happened as described in the New Testament of the Bible, authenticates the life, ministry, teachings, and promises of Jesus Christ.  In fact, he staked his entire credibility on it.  Here’s how.  The religious leaders of his day had heard of him, his alleged miracles, his large following, and they came to see him.  The exchange went something like this (a very loose paraphrase): “We have heard about you, Jesus.  How you work miracles and amaze the people.  We have heard that you actually raised someone from the dead, and that you fed thousands of people with just a few loaves of bread and a few fish.  We would like to see you do some of these signs and wonders for us, here, now – so we can see for ourselves if you really are who everyone claims you are.  Maybe, then, we will even believe in you ourselves and become your followers.”  (You can almost hear the tongue-in-cheek, the mocking tone, in this last statement.)  Jesus answered them, but without even looking at them, as he probably looked wistfully off into the distance, “A wicked generation asks for signs and wonders.  They will receive one – and only one.  The sign of the prophet Jonah.  As Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the sea creature, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the belly of the earth.”

In other places Jesus says that he must go to Jerusalem, there to be killed, but on the third day will rise again.  Jesus staked his entire credibility, his entire ministry, on this prediction. 

But now, let’s look at the implications of the truth or falsity of his resurrection from the dead. 

Jesus said: “I am the resurrection and the life.  Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live.  And whoever lives and believes in me shall never die.”  If his resurrection if true, then this statement is true, and we can take great comfort in this if we are a believer and follower of Jesus.  However, if he did not rise from the dead then here’s what we can do with this statement: “I am the resurrection and the life.  Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live.  And whoever lives and believes in me shall never die.”

In another place Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.”  True – if he rose from the dead, as the Bible claims he did.  If not, then the statement changes to: “I am the way, the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Now, most people have either heard of the Bible verse John 3:16 (or have seen the “John 3:16” placards at football games).  “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life”  True – if the resurrection is true.  But if the resurrection is not true, then the verse become; “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life”   Even worse, the verse could be rewritten as “For God, who has very little love for the world, gave no begotten son.  Whoever believes in this man named Jesus has no assurance of ‘not perishing’ and most likely will never have ‘everlasting life’.”

One more example should suffice to make the point.  Jesus said, “In my Father’s house are many dwelling places.  If it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you, and if I go I will come again to receive you unto myself, that where I am there you may be also.”  A wonderful promise indeed - but only true if Jesus actually rose from the dead.  If not, we have: In my Father’s house are many mansions (rooms).  If it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you, and if I go I will come again to receive you unto myself, that where I am there you may be also.”  No promise of heaven for the believer, only uncertainty and ambiguity about what happens after death.

In fact, if the resurrection isn’t true then one could go through the Bible with a scissors or a marking pen, and eliminate about 50% of it (some skeptics and unbelievers have actually done this.)  The Bible, especially the New Testament, is only valid and authentic if Jesus actually rose from the dead.  If not, it becomes a powerless, and rather pathetic document.  A litany of wonderful promises about redemption, salvation, forgiveness, and eternal life reduced to just a lot of make-believe, with no more power than sentiments one might find on a greeting card.  Also called into question is the very nature of God.  If God actually exists, then the death of the most beautiful man in human history, who believed that his own resurrection would authenticate himself to the world, was ignored with indifference and distance.  So much for our little lives and our little hopes.  The apostle Paul was keenly aware of this, and he discussed this in his letter to the church at Corinth, Greece.  (First Corinthians, Chapter 15).  He point-blank says that if Jesus was not raised from the dead, then we are still in our sins and we believers are of all men most pathetic.  But, here’s the GOOD news, the gold nugget we can claim from this discussion.  Jesus actually did rise from the dead – on the third day after his death by crucifixion.  There are many books that discuss the proofs of Jesus’ resurrection, as well as the various arguments against it.  Two good ones are: The Case for Easter, and The Case for the Resurrection, both by former atheist Lee Strobel, which can be purchased on Amazon.com, as well as most Christian bookstores.  The teachings and claims of Jesus can be shown to be true, and therefore all the wonderful things he said about salvation, redemption, eternal life, forgiveness, and so forth are VALID.  Paul points out that Jesus was seen alive, even handled and touched, by over 600 varied witnesses over a period of 40 days, and that the first-century church believed it wholeheartedly, and built their doctrine on it.  All one need do is read the first few chapters of the book of ACTS, as it becomes crystal clear that the early church accepted the truth of  Jesus’ resurrection.  There was no doubt in their minds, because many of them had actually seen him.

So then, why is this event the most important in human history?  More important than those on the above list?  Because it has everything to do with the eternal destiny of every human being - what happens to us after we die.  After all, the death rate is still one-per-person.  All those other events in human history have mostly to do with this life, and what happens here on Earth, for better or worse. 

Now, finally, here’s the BAD news.  Because the resurrection of Jesus validated his teachings and ministry, to ignore him, or to deny his available redemption, is to place one’s very soul in peril.  What ‘peril’?  This: final and permanent separation from the love of God.  A state of existence know in the Bible as ‘hell’, whatever that actually means.  I don’t want to find out – and I don’t want any reader of this blog post to find out.  Today is the day to call out to God for his redemption, and he will answer, and your life will take a new and beautiful turn.