Resurrected

 The resurrection of Jesus is part of the foundation for Christian faith. Paul wrote concerning its importance in 1 Corinthians 15:16-17, saying:

¹⁶ For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised; ¹⁷ and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins.

Our hope disappears if Christ was not truly raised. The New Testament writers went to great lengths to prove to us just how raised Jesus really was. John 20-21 and Luke 24 give us at least five pieces of evidence which identify beyond any doubt that Jesus was truly made alive after being dead three days.

• The rolled facecloth. In John 20:7 John and Peter enter the tomb of Jesus, and within they find the linen wrappings lying on the ground, while the face-cloth was, “rolled up in a place by itself”. Jesus intelligently interacted with the cloth after His resurrection.
• Jesus spoke. In John 20:15 Jesus spoke to Mary, and in subsequent passages He spoke to His disciples and others, like the two on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13ff).
• Mary clung to Him. In John 20:17 Mary has recognized Jesus and is apparently holding onto Him, because Jesus tells her, “Stop clinging to Me”. He was able to be touched, proving He had a real body, not just a ghostly presence.
• Jesus breathed. John 20:22 the record is made that “He breathed on them”. Jesus was breathing, because He was and is alive.
• Jesus ate. Luke 24:41-43 records that Jesus ate a piece of broiled fish in the presence of His disciples. While it may be inferred from other passages that Jesus ate post-resurrection (John 21:12ff), this passage in Luke provides an undeniable record: Jesus ate after He was resurrected because He truly was alive and real.

Jesus rolled the facecloth and organized the tomb prior to leaving it, He spoke, He was touched, He breathed, and He ate. All these pieces come together to prove one foundational truth in which we hope: Jesus was resurrected, and we will be resurrected along with Him to everlasting life. For us death is just a doorway to eternity with our Father.

“But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep.”  -1 Corinthians 15:20