As we approach Good Friday and Easter we have reason to look toward the future with wonder and with overflowing joy. The story of Christ’s death and resurrection is entirely true.
Not everyone thinks this way. Lee Strobel, in his book “The Case for the Real Jesus,” writes: “Ayman al-Zawahiri, the deputy leader of Al Qaeda, even took time out from excoriating George W. Bush and Pope Benedict XVI in a 2006 videotape to urge all Christians to convert to Islam, which, he said, correctly believes that Jesus was never put to death, never rose from the dead, and was not divine.” Muslims are not alone in their doubt; people from every background and persuasion have their doubts. I had doubts once as well.
However, there are three facts about which we can all agree which lead to a powerful argument for the truth of Christ’s death and resurrection. The first fact is that everyone (friend and foe) believed Jesus died on the cross. No one ever wrote to the contrary. Enemies as well as those who had no interest in the matters said that it was a matter of record that Jesus died by crucifixion.
The second fact about which everyone agrees is that Jesus’ body disappeared after its entombment. The Jews accused the disciples of Jesus of stealing His body, but the only thing this tells us for sure is that the body was missing.
The third fact is that these disciples of Jesus were willing to suffer and to die for their testimony that Jesus had come back to life. Why would they be willing to do this? About this, William Paley wrote, “The only points which can enter into our consideration are, whether the apostles knowingly published a falsehood, or whether they were themselves deceived; whether either of these suppositions be possible? The first, I think, is pretty generally given up. The nature of the undertaking, and of the men; the extreme unlikelihood that such men should engage in such a measure as a scheme; their personal toils, and dangers, and sufferings in the cause; the appropriation of their whole time to the object; the warm and seemingly unaffected zeal and earnestness with which they profess their sincerity – exempt their memory from the suspicion of imposture.”
The only hope we have is wonderfully absolutely true – Christ arose from the dead!