Story of the Bible, Act 7: Resurrection

The resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ is at the heart of the Christian faith. 

Mark 16.6 tells us that when the broken-hearted women went to the tomb after the crucifixion, an angel told them: 'He is not here – he has been raised!' (GNB).  

The Romans, the Jewish leaders and the mob had all done their worst. Jesus had suffered the most humiliating and painful death known in ancient times. But in raising Jesus from the dead, God had shown that his power was greater even than death. He had demonstrated that everything Jesus had said about himself was true. The Romans wanted to make Jesus into a sign of horror, an object lesson in what happened when someone broke the rules. God made him into a sign of hope.  

In doing that, he offered hope for everyone. One of the most powerful challenges of the resurrection was to the idea that the world belonged to the rich, powerful and successful people. No, God says: it belongs to those who humbly believe and trust in Jesus. So, someone who is poor, sick or insignificant in the eyes of the world is loved and honoured by God more than kings and emperors.  

As Paul says in his great passage on resurrection in 1 Corinthians 15, 'Thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!' (verse 57, GNB).