HE IS RISEN!!!

.. it's true, He is Risen -- He Is Risen, Indeed!
And you can know it's true, the very truest true --
because the disciples would have known about it if it wasn't.
It's simply impossible that all of them wouldn't have known the whole truth about what happened to Jesus' body--- and every single one of those disciples literally staked their life, (and died as martyrs), on the fact Jesus rose from the dead.
Would they die for a lie, especially because they'd have to know it was a lie? Who in the history of the entire world would be willing to die for a lie, if they knew it was a lie?
The only explanation is that these men who followed Jesus
had seen the RESURRECTED Jesus --
so how could they not give their all to Jesus, the RISEN ONE?
It's impossible to say that Jesus was just a good man, a good teacher, a good example --- because Jesus Himself said He was The Way, The Truth, The Life, that No One could come to God *but through Him* (Jn14:6), that He the Son of God, the RISEN SON OF GOD -- so either He literally & actually is exactly who He claimed, The Lord of the Universe... or the only thing He was good at was being a lunatic & a liar.
You can write Him off as a fool -- or you can fall at His feet & call Him the only Way, Truth & Life, the RISEN Lord. But you can't just say He was a great teacher -- because He didn't give us that option ---- and those disciples staked their life on the Truth that they KNEW HE HAD RISEN FROM THE DEAD!
He is RISEN! He is RISEN INDEED!
And now death itself starts working backwards
& all the sad things begin becoming upended & undone ... and we are undone with the glory of redemption for all our sinful messes & the miracle of amazing grace for all our messy wounds & the wonder that Hope literally rises --
that all will rise.
 

Ann Voskamp