The Bible's Biggest Buts - Jesus was dead but He is alive

Jesus was dead but He is alive After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. Acts 1:3 NIVUK https://bible.com/bible/113/act.1.3.NIVUK Or as Peter described it: For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit. 1 Peter 3:18 NIVUK https://bible.com/bible/113/1pe.3.18.NIVUK You see, this is the biggest 'but' in the Bible. This is the 'but' on which Christianity is based. There is no doubt at all that Jesus was clinically dead. It's John who records the detail that convinces us of it (John 19:31‭-‬37). This sudden flow of blood and water is an indication that the heart has stopped beating. The reason the Romans did not break Jesus' legs is because they, as the ones who invented and perfected the cruel practice of crucifixion, were convinced that He was dead. There can be no argument, no allegation of Him having swooned or fainted, no doubt at all about it. Jesus was actually dead. Yet Luke states early on in Acts that Jesus was now alive, and that He had provided many convincing proofs of this over the forty days since His resurrection, such that the disciples were convinced of it. Given the huge controversy Jesus had generated while He was alive, believing that He had risen from the dead was very dangerous. It put their lives at risk. They would not receive any plaudits for believing it. They would likely be jailed, flogged at best and potentially killed. Any casual reading of Acts will tell you that this actually happened. So why did they believe that Jesus rose from the dead? Because that's exactly what happened! All kinds of fake news is circulating today. I even heard of an American man who thought he would try a "social experiment". He posted online that he had Covid-19 and that a doctor had told him it was now airborne. That was extremely stupid. People are highly anxious and highly susceptible to anything that confirms their anxiety. As a result, his silly lie spread like wildfire and caused mass panic. He's now out on $1,000 bail, charged with recklessly causing alarm. He's lost his job, his college place and his reputation. Our own world leaders have recommended some pretty stupid cures for Covid-19, such as light, ingesting bleach, drinking vodka in a sauna, extra virgin coconut oil, and even one Hindu leader apparently recommended drinking cow urine. Covid-19 has been blamed on a Chinese scientist, a biochemical attack by post, an American Army sports team, the Jews, the Davos Group and a meteorite crash. All of which is complete nonsense. Never before, in all of history, has it been more important to critically examine what we hear and believe. So do it. Do it with the resurrection. There are whole books written about it. Loads of them. And do you know what you will find? It is one of the best attested historical facts in the ancient world. And you can trust Luke on this. He's not some Jewish fanatic. Luke is a Greek name. He was a doctor. And he actually researched his Gospel (Luke 1:1-4). So the resurrection is real. What difference does that make? The fact that Jesus died and rose again makes a significant difference to how and why we live our lives. In fact, the resurrection is the single most important fact in Christianity (1 Corinthians 15:1‭-‬8). The man who wrote these verses from 1 Corinthians was not a follower of Jesus before His death. Actually, he even persecuted Jesus' followers afterwards. So he cannot by any means be accused of bias. He became a believer a long time afterwards and then believed in the resurrection. But why does this matter? I mean, we have established the resurrection as a historical fact. So what? What difference does it make? Firstly, if the resurrection is not true then Christianity would be useless: And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied. 1 Corinthians 15:17‭-‬19 NIVUK https://bible.com/bible/113/1co.15.17-19.NIVUK But since it is true then we know that we too will be raised from the dead: But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 1 Corinthians 15:20 NIVUK https://bible.com/bible/113/1co.15.20.NIVUK The resurrection gives us hope. It makes us realise that there is something much bigger to live for than just eating or drinking. Because of the resurrection we have no need to let our circumstances get the better of us, no matter how bad they are, because we always know that they are temporary: Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. 2 Corinthians 4:16‭-‬18 NIVUK https://bible.com/bible/113/2co.4.16-18.NIVUK The resurrection is also our means of seeing final justice served. The resurrection is our hope of God completely and perfectly righting all the wrongs of this world far better than anyone else ever could. That's why we see these words in Scripture: Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord. On the contrary: ‘If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.’ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Romans 12:19‭-‬21 NIVUK https://bible.com/bible/113/rom.12.19-21.NIVUK For we know him who said, ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ and again, ‘The Lord will judge his people.’ It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. Hebrews 10:30‭-‬31 NIVUK https://bible.com/bible/113/heb.10.30-31.NIVUK The resurrection is everything to believers. It is what will enable us to cope with this present epidemic more than anything else. The resurrection means we know that our situation will end someday. The resurrection means that even our darkest, most powerful enemy has been neutralised so we have no reason at all to be afraid. The resurrection means that we don't have to be bitter and long for a scapegoat because the resurrection means that final justice will be served. Belief in the resurrection changes everything. It changed everything for the disciples. It changes everything for us. It is the greatest 'but' in human history. Friend, you must believe it! Research it, study it, put it to the test, but most importantly of all, believe it! It is the greatest 'but' because it transforms a completely negative situation into a completely positive one. Quite simply, it changes everything. So come, regardless of what you believe, come and see for yourself: Then he said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.’ John 20:27 NIVUK https://bible.com/bible/113/jhn.20.27.NIVUK So we see the first 'but' is that Jesus was dead, but now is alive. The second is that Jesus tells them DO NOT LEAVE, BUT WAIT.