He lives . . .

The gospel writers told the story of Christ from each one’s perspective, yet their narratives had many common elements such as His coming was announced by John the Baptist and Jesus was baptized and tempted. Many of His teachings and miracles are told by all three. Also, all of them included an event called His transfiguration, as well as His trial, death and burial, and the most significant of all — His resurrection.

The rest of the NT tells why He came and why He had to die. However, the emphasis is not on His death but His resurrection. Clearly an empty cross and an empty tomb are better symbols and reminders than a crucifix with His body still suffering for sin.

But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel. And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise.” And they remembered his words, and returning from the tomb they told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. (Luke 24:1–9)

I’ve tried to imagine what this was like for these women who came to the tomb. While Jesus had raised at least two people from death (a widow’s son and Lazarus) they did not expect this to happen with Jesus when He died. He told the disciples it would, and told them on more than one occasion, but they didn’t get it. How can the body of a dead person come to life?

Scripture says it is by the power of God. Skeptics can laugh and make fun of that idea, but I suspect none of them are heart surgeons. These doctors know what happens when they remove a heart or transplant a heart. It is still and apparently lifeless, yet when it is placed in the patient’s chest and hooked up, it begins to beat — all by itself.

I asked my pacemaker doctor about this and he just smiles. I think of the wonder of the birth of a baby. I cannot imagine the thrill of seeing a heart come to life. Did God make our bodies to function like that just so we would know His power to bring life into the body of the Crucified One? It seems a likely reason, mainly because there is no other explanation for a heart beating like that — on its own.

The resurrection of Jesus is the gospel. He died for our sin. Isn’t that enough to secure forgiveness for it? But that He rose from the dead and is still alive adds one more element:

And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied. But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. (1 Corinthians 15:17–26)

Forgiveness of sin does not remove sin’s power because we need the Living Christ to give us His power. He overwhelms the evil that rules, the enemy that lies and destroys. And He destroys the very thing that this enemy wants to do — kill us, make us dead and separated from God forever. Because of Jesus, whose heart began to beat again all by itself, even death has lost its power. That Jesus rose to life again is our hope. His resurrection is our understanding that by His power, we also shall live again. Death cannot hold us.

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Jesus, I see Your smile in the smile of my doctor. As I grow older and closer to the last day of my life, I feel the reality of what You have done. You conquered the grave. It could not hold You and because You live in me, I will also rise again and live with You forever. Skeptics can doubt and laugh all they like but I know the reality of a dead heart that beats again.