Believing the Resurrection — Part 1 Today's Three-minute Bible Study Print, Study and Apply Title: Believing the Resurrection — Part 1 Keyword: "resurrection" Welcome to eXXit, the web site designed to help you stand strong in the face of sexual temptation. Passage: Mark 16:1-8* 1. And when the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the [mother] of James, and Salome, bought spices, that they might come and anoint Him. 2. And very early on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen. 3. And they were saying to one another, "Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?" 4. And looking up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away, although it was extremely large. 5. And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting at the right, wearing a white robe; and they were amazed. 6. And he said to them, "Do not be amazed; you are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who has been crucified. He has risen; He is not here; behold, [here is] the place where they laid Him. 7. "But go, tell His disciples and Peter, 'He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, just as He said to you.'" 8. And they went out and fled from the tomb, for trembling and astonishment had gripped them; and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid. Question Do you believe that Jesus rose from the dead the way the gospel writers report the event?   Practical help Some people believe they are Christians and yet do not believe the resurrection of Christ literally occurred. It’s just too outlandish, they feel. They speculate that the story of the resurrection was concocted years later to put a happy ending on a sad event. No doubt Jesus was a good man and a profound teacher, but this is where they draw the line. Frankly the argument is a logical one, but it isn’t all that new. Paul addressed it in one of his letters to the church at Corinth (1 Corinthians 15:13-19): 13. But if there is no resurrection of the dead, not even Christ has been raised; 14. and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain. 15. Moreover we are even found [to be] false witnesses of God, because we witnessed against God that He raised Christ, whom He did not raise, if in fact the dead are not raised. 16. For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised; 17. and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins. 18. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19. If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied. Essentially, what Paul is saying is that faith in the resurrection of Christ is foundational to Christianity. Therefore one cannot be a true Christian and hold to a different doctrine on this matter. Whether you consider yourself a Christian or not, I urge you to take some time and reflect on the ramifications of the resurrection of Jesus. If it is true, and I believe it is, then your life holds more meaning that you might think. Therefore, what you do with your life will not end in eternal nothingness. Someday you will see him face to face. And when you do, what will you say about your sexual behavior? If you believe in the resurrection of Christ, be prepared to be called narrow-minded. Be prepared to be written off as unintellectual. Remember, however that you were warned in Acts 4:1-4 that this would occur: 1. And as they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple [guard,] and the Sadducees, came upon them, 2. being greatly disturbed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. 3. And they laid hands on them, and put them in jail until the next day, for it was already evening. 4. But many of those who had heard the message believed; and the number of the men came to be about five thousand. eXXit homepage Index of three-minute studies Copyright 2004 by eXXit *"Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, © Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission." ---