On my first Easter Sunday at St Nicholas I borrowed a man-sized Peppa Pig costume and had one of my friends wear it and run into church half way through the service, shake my hand and run out again.
At the same time his daughter was sat wearing a blindfold and listening to some music, but when I brought her out and told her that Peppa Pig had run into church, shaken my hand, and run out again, she didn’t believe me. She still didn’t believe me when first 2, then 12, other witnesses stood up and said I was telling the truth. It was only when the whole church stood up that she finally trusted what I was saying.
This Easter Christians across the world will be celebrating an event that changed history. That event was the physical resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.
I wonder if you believe it?
If not, then you are in good company. Mark’s gospel tells us that some of the first witnesses were so scared and astounded that they kept the news to themselves! But as Jesus appeared to first 1s and 2s, and then all his closest disciples, and then on one occasion to over 500 people at the same time their doubts were taken away. Even doubting Thomas ended up on his knees before Jesus saying “My Lord and my God!” Having seen him and touched him and walked and talked and eaten with him, Thomas and the rest of the disciples were left in no doubt: Jesus had died, had been buried but was now risen from the dead.
That news changed their lives and changed the world. Unable to keep silent, these once frightened disciples took the good news of Jesus’ death and resurrection across the Roman Empire and eventually across the world. Even when threatened with death, they held on to the truth, and many died with the name of Jesus on their lips, refusing to change their minds.
Now many people will die for things they believe to be true, but no one dies for something they know to be a lie. But of course this wasn’t a lie. Jesus had died, he was buried and on the 3rd day he did rise again.
Why is that important? Because it shows us that Jesus is who he claimed to be — the Incarnate Word, the Son of God. And it shows that Jesus’ death worked — and that there is now forgiveness and eternal life available to all people through faith in Jesus Christ. Why not come along and find out more!