April 2003

Has the Resurrection made a Difference in Your Life?
By
Steve Russo

The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the most significant event in history. It has awesome implications for our lives on earth and in eternity. Yet, so many people today don't understand its significance. The resurrection of Jesus has shaken the very foundations of human history - but has it shaken the foundations of your life?

Skeptics ask, "Does it really matter if Jesus rose from the dead? Can it really make a difference in my life?" The answer is found in the Bible's account of the very first Easter morning.

When a couple of Jesus' followers went to his tomb early Sunday morning they found the stone covering the entrance was rolled away and his body gone. Two men appeared to them in "dazzling robes" and said, "Why are you looking in a tomb for someone who is alive? He isn't here, He has risen from the dead!" (Luke 24:1-6). The meaning of the resurrection for you is determined by how you personally answer the same question: "Why are you looking in a tomb for someone who is alive?"

Many people today spend so much time looking for meaning in life in all the wrong places - the dead ones the world has to offer. Movies, music, magazines and even the Internet are filled with advice on how to find life with a capital 'L'. But lasting meaning and purpose in life isn't found in beauty, power, or money. Jesus is the only one who can satisfy the needs in our life.

Because Jesus conquered death we can be forgiven for our sin, have a new quality of life and the promise of heaven when we die. We also have power - the same power that brought Jesus back to life - available to us to help us rise above the obstacles and challenges of life.

Ultimately the resurrection gives us hope. Hope for a stressed out life, for broken hearts and for the future. Despite what is going on around you in the world or in your life, you can be optimistic if you have a personal relationship with God. Our hope is found in Him (Psalm 62:5).

Has the resurrection made a difference in your life? It will: if you put your faith and trust in Jesus.