April ‘Fools’? [v230]

APRIL 2018

April Fool’s Day, for some, is a “high holy day,” as they spread hoaxes and play practical jokes and pranks on unsuspecting people to make them feel like a ‘FOOL’.

The first reference to April Fool’s Day comes from Geoffrey Chaucer’s “Canterbury Tales.” The Nun’s Priest’s Tale is set on a date “syn March was gon.” In other words, “since March was gone,” or—as most readers surmised—April 1st. In this tale, the fox tricks the vain cock Chanticleer. It’s thought of as the first “April Fool’s” ‘prank’.

In fact, April Fool’s Day has become a day that some marketers show their best creativity and audaciousness, implementing elaborate practical jokes that have appeared in newspapers, on radio, and on TV. In 1985, Sports Illustrated tricked many of its readers when it ran a made-up article about a rookie pitcher named Sidd Finch who could throw a fastball over 168 miles per hour. In 1996, Taco Bell duped people when it announced it had agreed to purchase Philadelphia’s Liberty Bell and intended to rename it the “Taco Liberty Bell.” In 1998, after Burger King advertised a “Left-Handed Whopper,” scores of clueless customers requested the fake sandwich.

In one famous prank from 1957, the BBC broadcast a film on their current affairs series, called “Panorama,” purporting to show Swiss farmers picking freshly-grown spaghetti, in what they called the “Swiss Spaghetti Harvest.” The BBC were flooded with requests to purchase a spaghetti plant, forcing them to declare the next day, as the “feature story,” that all of it a hoax.

With the advent of the Internet and readily available global news services, April Fool’s pranks have caught and embarrassed a much wider audience than ever before. For example, on April 1, 2009, the Swiss Tourism Board released a video explaining why the mountains in Switzerland were so clean. They said it was because of the hard work of the “Association of Swiss Mountain Cleaners,” who remove all the bird droppings and other unsightly blemishes from the pristine Alpine slopes. Many people believed it!

Now, the positive view of April Fool’s is that it can be good for one’s health, because it encourages laughter, which includes the benefits of stress relief and reducing strain on one’s heart.

[ Note: In the “Articles” area below, I compiled a “best of” April Fool’s Day pranks in order to showcase the best examples of how the day is celebrated ].

However, the negative view describes April Fool’s hoaxes as “manipulative,” “rude,” “nasty,” and “deceitful.” In addition to that, a big problem emerges when ‘genuine’ news or a legitimately important warning is issued on April Fool’s Day, and there is a big risk that it will be misinterpreted as a joke and/or is discounted. For example, on April 1, 1946, the warnings about the Aleutian Island earthquake’s tsunami (magnitude 8.6) were thought to be a hoax and were ignored—and at least 165 people died in Alaska and on the Hawaiian Islands.

Today, April Fool’s Day is observed in most of the countries of the world, though it is not a formal holiday in any country. If you ask me, if it is not malicious, we should all relax, enjoy the ‘levity’, and not take ourselves too seriously.

20+ APRIL FOOL’S EASTER SUNDAY PRANKS:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nsugFw1d5cQ

This year, April Fool’s Day falls on Easter—the first time since 1956—and many people say that a dead man coming back to life is the ultimate ‘prank’, since dead people just don’t climb out of their graves…period. [ Due to how Easter is arrived at, the two coincide only intermittently. After 2018, the next one is 2029, and then again in 2040—but after that, not again in this century ].

Well, it so happens that “the most successful” attorney ever, Sir Lionel Luckhoo (of The Guinness Book of World Records fame for his unprecedented 245 consecutive defense murder trial acquittals), used his brilliant expertise in diagnosis and exploration and asked himself whether or not the Resurrection of Jesus stood up to the test of legal evidence. He ultimately concluded: “I have spent more than 42 years as a defense trial lawyer appearing in many parts of the world and am still in active practice. I have been fortunate to secure a number of successes in jury trials and I say unequivocally the evidence for the Resurrection of Jesus Christ is so overwhelming that it compels acceptance by proof which leaves absolutely no room for doubt.”

One of the greatest leaders of rationalism German Professor W.M.L. De Wette, investigated the “supposed resurrection” of Christ with precision. He concluded: “The resurrection of Jesus Christ cannot be called into doubt any more than the historical certainty of the assassination of Caesar.”

Another very skilled ‘lawyer’, the Apostle Paul, was very direct in his assessment: “And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins” [ 1 Corintians 15:17 ].

I suspect that Sir Luckhoo, De Wette, and the Apostle Paul were very bright people and had tremendous analytical skills—certainly world-class ‘experts’ on what constitutes reliable, admissible, and persuasive evidence. BUT, our everyday experience tells us that dead people do not come back to life.

Now, no one likes to be called a “FOOL,” so that’s why I want to present, unbiasedly, a brief summary of the major facts and theories for you to consider. We all should EXAMINE THE EVIDENCE FOR OURSELVES.

First off, don’t be concerned if you doubt that this happened—many have in the past—Jesus’ Resurrection came as a shock to his first followers. One of them, famously did, in fact, view it as a hoax.

“Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, ‘We have seen the Lord.’ But he said to them, ‘Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe’” [ John 20:24-25 ].

Thomas, having had his hopes shattered by Jesus’ crucifixion, promised himself that he would not be ‘hoodwinked’ by any ‘ghost story’ about a resuscitated corpse. “Doubting Thomas,” as he’s now usually called, was like me when I was a child. Every April 1st, I was determined that this would be the year that I would avoid being taken in by the jokes my family and friends were sure to try to make me look like a ‘fool’. So, I had my ‘guard up’!

Although Thomas has been given the “doubter” reputation, he was not alone. In the Gospel of Mark, he describes fearful women, astonished and running scared (Mark 16:8). Peter and that “beloved disciple” (John) went to the tomb to find out for themselves (John 20:1–10). Then, when Jesus appeared to His disciples, they were startled and frightened, thinking that they saw a ghost (Luke 24:37). Jesus then identified their fear and doubt and invited them to touch Him, saying that spirits don’t have flesh and bones (Luke 24:33-39). Finally, while the apostles were still disbelieving—but “marveling”—Jesus proved that He was ‘real’ by eating a piece of broiled fish (Luke 24:41-43).

It wasn’t just Jesus’ disciples either. Matthew says that “some still doubted” as Jesus sent them out to tell everyone in the known world (Matt. 28:16–19). These were not gullible folks. They just were not predisposed to imagine a resurrected Jesus.

However, “Doubting Thomas” finally did ‘come around’ eight days later when Jesus ‘appeared’ among the Disciples and said to Thomas: “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe” (John 20:27). Thomas was totally ‘broken’ and said to Jesus: “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28). He made the perfect confession of faith in Jesus—the fullest and clearest that is found anywhere in the Gospels. Jesus then responded to Thomas by saying: “Have you believed because you have seen me?” (John 20:29a). Then Jesus spoke to Thomas in a most wonderful way—even of all the Beatitudes, for it leads us into the life and enjoyment of the rest of the Beatitudes—which without Thomas-like faith, we will never know: “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (John 20:29b)

The Bible says that if the resurrection didn’t happen we above all men are to be pitied, and we above all men are fools. (1 Corinthians 15:17-19). If there’s no resurrection and there’s nothing more than this life, there’s no hope. But, if Jesus is alive, that changes everything—and the apostles were convinced of that!

Less than two months later—50 days or so—the Apostle Peter boldly announced that he followed a crucified, risen, and ruling ‘King’. The crowd was confused; some sneered and thought the Spirit-filled apostles were drunk (Acts 2:13). But Peter explained, shared his experience, and exhorted that they believe (Acts 2:14–40). Many Jews joined (about 3,000), but most remained unconvinced.

So, if you believe in any shape or form that there is a God, especially if you believe He is the “Creator” of everything, then one thing should be certain: He could raise anyone from the dead if He wanted to!

Now, we don’t need to take Luckhoo’s, De Wette’s, or the Apostle Paul’s word for it—since they all lived after the fact. However, you may want to consider the Old Testament prophets who prophesied the Resurrection of Jesus from the dead thousands of years before He was ever born (“For you will not leave my soul among the dead or allow your holy one to rot in the grave.” – Psalm 16:10). Jesus Himself, many times, predicted that He would die, would be buried, and three days later He would rise from the grave [ John 2:18-22; John 10:17-18; Matthew 12:39-40; Matthew 16:21; Matthew 27:62-64; Mark 9:31 ].

So, did God raise Jesus from the dead? Did it really happen? Well, let’s do our best “Columbo” impersonation, and find all the evidence we can. So, here’s some of the KNOWN HISTORICAL FACTS…

JESUS DIED BY CRUCIFIXION AND WAS BURIED
It is a fairly well-established fact that Jesus Christ was publicly executed in Judea in the 1st Century A.D., under Pontius Pilate, by means of crucifixion, at the behest of the Jewish Sanhedrin. The non-Christian historical accounts of Flavius Josephus, Cornelius Tacitus, Lucian of Samosata, Maimonides, and even the Jewish Sanhedrin corroborate the early Christian eyewitness accounts of these important historical aspects of the death of Jesus Christ.

TOMB WAS SECURED
When Jesus died, the Jews and the Romans both wanted to make sure that Jesus didn’t deliver on His promise of rising from the dead. Pilate told a Roman Guard to make the tomb as secure as they knew how to. So they put a seal on the stone in the presence of the guards. (Note: If a Roman soldier abandoned his post or even fell asleep during his watch, the punishment was death).

EMPTY TOMB
There can be no doubt the tomb was empty. Joseph of Arimathea, a well-known Jew, donated his tomb. Both friends and enemies of Jesus witnessed him being buried. Roman executioners confirmed him dead and buried and sealed the tomb.

GRAVE CLOTHES WERE EMPTY
The Apostle John tells us that Nicodemus put about 75 pounds of spices around the body of Jesus and then wrapped him mummy-style with strips of linen before placing him in the tomb. Then, on Sunday morning, when Simon Peter look into the tomb he saw the strips of linen lying there, as well as the burial cloth that had been around Jesus’ head. The cloth was folded up by itself, separate from the linen (John 20:6-8). [ Also consider the facts of the “Shroud of Turin”:
http://www.garyhabermas.com/articles/J_Evangelical_Theological_Soc/Habermas_JETS_Shroud-of-Turin-and-significance.htm ].

STONE WAS MOVED AWAY
It is estimated that the stone weighed one-and-one-half to two tons. An early Christian wrote in a manuscript margin that it would take “20 men” to pick it up. Matthew says they rolled it down against the tomb opening after they buried Jesus. After the resurrection, the Gospel writers used Greek prepositions to indicate the stone had been rolled up or away from the tomb. John uses a word that can be translated, “to pick something up and carry it away.” If a large group had come and carried that stone up the hill away from the tomb, the soldiers would’ve had to be deaf not to hear it.

BODY NEVER FOUND/PRESENTED
Jesus was publicly executed and buried in Jerusalem. It would have been impossible for faith in His resurrection to take root in Jerusalem while His body was still in the tomb where the Sanhedrin could exhume it, put it on public display, and thereby expose the hoax. The enemies of the Resurrection have never been able to present one piece of evidence to say that He didn’t rise again from the grave.

EYEWITNESSES/APPEARANCES
Jesus appeared over a period of 40 days. There were hundreds of eyewitnesses—at least 10 separate appearances that we know about. We are also told that over 500 people saw the risen Jesus at one time.

There’s also a peculiarity about the eyewitness testimony. We are told that women are credited as the first and primary eyewitnesses. This would be an odd invention since, in both the ancient Jewish and Roman cultures, women were considered not credible, reliable, and were severely deprecated.

TRANSFORMATION OF APOSTLES
When you read the Gospels, you find out that the apostles were petrified with terror and fear, because they were afraid that since they followed Jesus, they would be crucified as well. But, following the Resurrection, they were were radically changed—suddenly and dramatically. They took to the streets of Jerusalem, boldly proclaiming Jesus’ Resurrection, despite intensifying persecution. It certainly was not for financial gain. The Apostles gave up everything they had to preach the resurrection, including their lives. Jesus’ skeptical ‘step-brother’ James’ doubt turned to a courageous faith.

People will not die for religious beliefs they know are false. The disciples knew first-hand that Jesus had risen from the dead because they were there. Because they knew it was true, they were willing to die for it.

CHURCH GREW QUICKLY
The Apostle Peter explained, shared his experience, and exhorted (Acts 2:14–40), and many Jews believed (about 3,000), and became a part of the ‘church’.

CHRISTIAN-HATING SAUL TRANSFORMED
Saul the Pharisee had been killing and putting Christians into jail. But after an ‘encounter’ with the risen Jesus, he became the Apostle Paul, writing more than one-third of the New Testament.

MARTYRDOM OF APOSTLES
These early believers were so convinced of the Resurrection of Jesus and the certainty of life beyond the grave, that they chose death rather than deny Jesus’ resurrection. No one who claimed to be an eyewitness denied the Resurrection of Jesus.

Think about it. People will confess to crimes they didn’t commit so that they can get a favorable plea bargain, and will implicate others if it will save their own hide. But, no one dies for a lie.

PRIMARY DAY OF WORSHIP CHANGED TO SUNDAY
The transition from the Saturday Sabbath to Sunday in the early Christian church was due to reverencing the day of the week on which Jesus had risen from the dead and on which the Holy Spirit had come to the apostles.

ANCIENT HISTORIANS CORROBORATE THE RESURRECTION STORY
Cornelius Tacitus
Tacitus was called the “greatest historian” of accent Rome, and is generally acknowledged among scholars for his moral “integrity and essential goodness.” e said, regarding Jesus’ Resurrection: “ It is sacredly fanciful to suggest that when he adds that “A most mischievous superstition, thus checked for the moment, again broke out” he is bearing indirect and unconscious testimony to the conviction of the early church that the Christ who had been crucified had risen from the grave.”

Titus Flavius Josephus
Josephus was a Jewish historian, and this is what he writes: “At this time there was a wise man who was called Jesus. And his conduct was good and his learning outstanding. And many people from among the Jews and the other nations became his disciples. Pilate condemned him to be crucified and to die. And those who had become his disciples did not abandon their discipleship. They reported that he had appeared to them three days after the crucifixion and that he was alive; accordingly, he was perhaps the Messiah, concerning whom the prophets have recounted wonders.”

There are many other sources to consider including Thallus, Pliny the Younger, Emperor Trajan, Emperor Hadrian, Lucian, and Mara Bar-Sepapion, Phlegon, and Origen.

In conclusion, all reputable scholars agree that Jesus died due to crucifixion and was buried. Jesus’ death caused the disciples to despair and lose hope, believing that His life had ended. Many scholars agree that the tomb was empty just a few days later.

Critical scholars further agree that the disciples had experiences which they believed were literal appearances of the risen Jesus. Because of these experiences, the disciples were transformed from doubters who were afraid to identify themselves with Jesus before His death into bold proclaimers of His death and Resurrection. This message was the center of preaching in the early church and was especially proclaimed in Jerusalem, where Jesus died and was buried shortly before.

As a result of this preaching, the church was ‘born’ and grew, with Sunday as the primary day of worship (changed from Saturday to honor Jesus resurrection on Sunday). Jesus’ ‘step-brother’ James, who had been a skeptic, was converted to faith in Jesus when he also believed that he saw the resurrected Jesus. A few years later, the Apostle Paul—previously Saul who persecuted the ‘Christians’—was transformed by an experience that he believed to be an appearance of the risen Jesus.

Think about what happened to the disciples. History tells us that before Easter, they were dejected because they thought their leader was gone forever. The disciples after the crucifixion were hiding behind closed doors, afraid they might be put to death. Yet, after Easter these same men were out boldly proclaiming that Jesus Christ was alive. Suddenly these once cowardly individuals were transformed. History tells us all but one of those disciples suffered violent deaths. Yet none of them ever disavowed their testimony that Jesus Christ is the Son of God who literally and bodily appeared to them.

Now, resurrection is not something that is easy to understand. In human history, no one has ever been resurrected as Jesus was. People like Lazarus were all resuscitated, and they had to die again. They were not “resurrected”—for resurrection means a new body, one that is not bound by time and space. One that can just move through grave cloth wrappings, stone walls, and closed doors. Remember, the stone was rolled away so the women could get into the tomb not so that Jesus could get out! Jesus now had a body that will never die or perish—and He ascended into Heaven with it!

Well, that’s a few of the major facts associated with Jesus’ Resurrection. Here’s a few of the major THEORIES TO DISPUTE those historical facts.

WRONG TOMB
According to the Gospel accounts, the women visited the grave early in the morning while it was dark. Due to their emotional condition and the darkness, they visited the wrong tomb. Overjoyed to see that it was empty, they rushed back to tell the disciples Jesus had risen. The disciples, in turn, ran into Jerusalem to proclaim the Resurrection of Jesus.

There are several major flaws with this explanation. First, it is extremely doubtful that the Apostles would not have corrected the women’s error. The Gospel of John gives a very detailed account of them doing just that. Second, the tomb site was known not only by the followers of Christ but also by their opponents. The Gospels make it clear the body was buried in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea, a member of the Jewish council. If the body still remained in the tomb while the Apostles began preaching, the authorities simply would have to go to the right tomb, produce the body, and march it down the streets. This would have ended the Christian faith once and for all.

JESUS JUST “SWOONED”
This theory espouses that Jesus never died on the cross but merely passed out and was mistakenly considered dead. After three days He revived, exited the tomb, and appeared to His disciples who believed He had risen from the dead.

First, it is a physical impossibility that Jesus could have survived the tortures of the crucifixion. Second, the soldiers who crucified Jesus were experts in executing this type of death penalty. Furthermore, they took several precautions to make sure He was actually dead. They thrust a spear in His side. When blood and water come out separately, this indicates the blood cells had begun to separate from the plasma which will only happen when the blood stops circulating. Upon deciding to break the legs of the criminals (in order to speed up the process of dying), they carefully examined the body of Jesus and found that He was already dead.

After being taken down from the cross, Jesus was covered with about 75 pounds of spices and was embalmed. It is unreasonable to believe that after three days with no food, water, or medical attention, Jesus would revive. Even harder to believe is that Jesus could roll a two-ton stone up an incline, overpower the guards, and then walk several miles to Emmaus on pierced feet (without leaving behind a trail of blood). Even if Jesus had done this, His appearing to the disciples half-dead and desperately in need of medical attention would not have prompted their worship of Him as God. In addition to all of this, Jesus then just disappeared without a trace. Hmmm.

IT WAS A HALLUCINATION
Some say that the disciples hallucinated all of this—they dreamt it up. Maybe they didn’t do it deviously, but were just misled and deceived by their own minds.

Well, this position is unrealistic for several reasons. In order for hallucinations of this type to occur, psychiatrists agree that several conditions must exist. However, this situation was not conducive for hallucinations. Here are several reasons. Hallucinations generally occur to people who are imaginative and of a nervous character. However, the appearances of Jesus occurred to a variety of people, and over a period of 40 days. Hallucinations are subjective and individual. No two people have the same experience. In this case, over 500 people had the same account. Hallucinations occur only at particular times and places and are associated with the events. The Resurrection appearances occur in many different environments and at different times. Finally, hallucinations of this nature occur to those who intensely want to believe. However, several such as Thomas and James (the half brother of Jesus) were doubtful of the news of the Resurrection.

Would it not be strange if these hallucinations suddenly ceased after 40 days and they never had any more? The fact of the matter is: the disciples, of all people, were not expecting Jesus to rise from the dead.

STOLEN BODY
This argument holds that Jewish and Roman authorities stole the body or moved it for safekeeping.

It is inconceivable to think this a possibility. If they had the body, why did they need to accuse the disciples of stealing it? (Matthew 28:11-15). In Acts 4, the Jewish authorities were angered and did everything they could to prevent the spread of Christianity. If they really knew where the body was, they could have exposed it and ended the faith that caused them so much trouble and embarrassment. Throughout the preaching of the Apostles, the authorities never attempted to refute the Resurrection by producing a body. All the Jewish authorities needed to do to put an end to Christianity was to produce the body of Jesus. In addition to that, why would the disciples deceive their own people into believing in a false Messiah when they knew that this deception would mean the deaths of hundreds of their believing friends?

Do you think the apostles would have risked everything to take the body of Jesus away and hide it somewhere? After that, how would they hide a rotting corpse? Also, how would a rotting corpse have inspired them to go out and preach as boldly as they did? Wouldn’t someone, somewhere, have found by now the corpse or the skeleton of Jesus? Of course they would have—if it was available!

SOLDIERS FELL ASLEEP
This theory suggests that all of the Roman Guard fell asleep.

First off, if the soldiers were sleeping, how did they know it was the disciples who stole the body?

Secondly, it seems physically impossible for the disciples to sneak past the soldiers and then move a two-ton stone up an incline in absolute silence. Certainly the guards would have heard something.

Thirdly, the tomb was secured with a Roman seal. Anyone who moved the stone would break the seal, an offense punishable by death. The depression and cowardice of the disciples makes it difficult to believe that they would suddenly become so brave as to face a detachment of soldiers, steal the body, and then lie about the Resurrection when the would ultimately face a life of suffering and death for their contrived message.

Fourthly, Roman guards were not likely to fall asleep with such an important duty. There were penalties for doing so. The disciples would have needed to overpower them. A very unlikely scenario.

Finally, in the Gospel of John, the grave clothes were found “lying there as well as the burial cloth that had been around Jesus’ head. The cloth was folded up by itself separate from the linen” (John 20:6-7). There really was not enough time for the disciples to sneak past the guards, roll away the stone, unwrap the body, rewrap it in their wrappings, and fold the head piece neatly next to the linen. In a robbery, the men would have flung the garments down in disorder and fled in fear of detection.

So, there you have the MAJOR FACTS of the Resurrection and THEORIES that claim to refute it.

You may now ask, “WHY SHOULD THIS MATTER TO ME?” Well, it’s a matter of ‘where’ you will spend your eternity. I’m thinking that the implications of this are MONUMENTAL!

First, if Jesus rose from the dead, then what He said about Himself is true. He stated, “I am the Resurrection and the life; he who believes in me shall live even if he dies” [ John 11:25 ]. He also stated, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no man comes to the father, but through me” [ John 14:6 ]. Eternal life is found through Jesus Christ alone. Any religious belief that contradicts this must be false. Every religious leader has been buried in a grave. Their tombs have become places of worship. The location of Jesus’ tomb is not known for sure since it was empty—Jesus’ body is not there. There was no need to enshrine an empty tomb.

Second, the Apostle Paul writes, “Death has been swallowed up in victory” [ 1 Corinthians 15:54 ]. Physical death is not the end. Eternal life with God awaits all who trust in Jesus because He has ‘conquered’ death.

Everything connected to a Christian’s “salvation”—the promise of Heaven and eternal life—is linked inextricably to the Resurrection.

The Resurrection has massive implications, since everybody dies. But only One was raised from the dead and ascended into Heaven (the “saints” who “came out of the tombs” after Jesus’ resurrection, “entered” Jerusalem and were “seen by many”).

It is obvious to the ‘enemy’ of our souls (Satan) that THE RESURRECTION IS CRITICAL. It is the LINCHPIN that holds the Christian faith together. It is the CORNERSTONE without which Christianity collapses.

If Christ didn’t rise from the dead, then Satan ‘wins’, sin ‘wins’, and EVERYONE GOES TO HELL! (Romans 6:23; Mark 9:43).

If Jesus didn’t come back, alive, from the dead or if His resurrection was a hoax, then nothing—absolutely nothing—has any meaning at all. Any blessing we enjoy will come to a sudden, heartbreaking end. Any good work we accomplish will either decay or quickly become obsolete. When our life has passed—a mere twinkling of a moment when compared to the eons before and after us—any impact we leave will be washed away like footprints in wave-washed sand. Furthermore, we waste our time trusting in and praying to some strange, dead Savior. The apostle Paul said it this way:

“If Christ has not been raised, then all our preaching is useless, and your faith is useless. And we apostles would all be lying about God—for we have said that God raised Christ from the grave. But that can’t be true if there is no resurrection of the dead. And if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is useless and you are still guilty of your sins. In that case, all who have died believing in Christ are lost! And if our hope in Christ is only for this life, we are more to be pitied than anyone in the world.” [ 1 Corinthians 15:14–19 ].

So, if we have put all our ‘eggs’ in this one Easter ‘basket’ (put all our hope in Jesus), and it’s only going to ‘work’ in this life, then of all the people in the world, the Christian are to be the MOST PITIED! A totally WORTHLESS BELIEF…POINTLESS! You’ve been a FOOL! You’ve been ‘played’!

How pointless would this belief be in a dead ‘Lord’! How futile to trust a lying God! How fleeting is any happiness or any meaningful future or any hope that only ends with death!

On the other hand, since the evidence is very strong that JESUS HAS INDEED RISEN, we have every reason to live well, to worship God, and to savor the blessings we enjoy today. Why? Because these earthly blessings are only a taste of so much more to come.

What does the Resurrection give us? I suppose the benefits are many, but for now, let me mention only two:

First, the Resurrection of Jesus is our promise that the life we live is not in vain. We have significance both temporally and eternally. Our lives have purpose beyond the eighty-or-so years we spend on earth, because the living God has promised us that our ‘investments’ in eternity will not return empty.

Second, because Jesus conquered death and because of our faith in Him, we now anticipate victory over the grave. Jesus’ triumph over death gives us the courage to endure all temporal tragedies and the wisdom to relish every earthly delight. His victory over the final evil, death, assures us that nothing is too dead for Him to revive. So whatever our circumstances, we can be confident that better days are coming. Furthermore, we have no fear of our own death! We will be resurrected!

That’s the Christian’s hope, isn’t it? Jesus’ resurrection promises that we, too, will be resurrected one day—never to die again!

I think it’s fair to say that the whole of Christianity is built on the Resurrection. If there is no Resurrection, there is no Christianity. If there is no Resurrection, God is Satan, and the Bible is full of lies. If there is no Resurrection, there is no salvation, no forgiveness, no hope, no Heaven!

BUT, as the evidence shows, JESUS HAS BEEN RAISED from the dead…and the EMPTY TOMB PROVES IT!

What does the Resurrection prove? Well, that the Scriptures are true; that Jesus is God; salvation has been accomplished at the cross; the church has been made His ‘body’; that judgment is coming for unbelievers; and that Heaven is being made ready for those who believe.

Jesus’ resurrection is not only history, it is ‘meta-history’. That is, it guarantees and anticipates and defines events that are still to come, the resurrection from the dead of Christ’s people. As the Lord once said to His disciples, “Because I live, you will live also” [ John 14:19 ].

The importance of this event cannot be minimized, for Jesus Himself proclaimed that His resurrection would prove His power over death, and thus His deity (John 2:18–22).

The evidence for Christ’s resurrection is so overwhelming that no one can examine it with an open mind, desiring to know the truth, without BECOMING CONVINCED OF ITS TRUTH.

For those who continue to harbor doubts about the veracity of the biblical evidence, another great authority on legal evidences in the 19th century was atheist Dr. Simon Greenleaf, the founder of the Harvard Law School and a world-renowned expert on evidence. Challenged by one of his students one day to “consider the evidence” for the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, Greenleaf set out to disprove it, but ended up concluding that the Resurrection of Jesus was indeed fact, not fiction. He noted that after examining the evidence for the resurrection of Jesus Christ, he suggested that any cross-examination of the eyewitness testimonies recorded in Scripture would result in “an undoubting conviction of their integrity, ability, and truth.”

This “Easter Fool’s Day” message still seems foolish—it really does to most people—and the Bible agrees with that: “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” [ 1Corinthians 1:18 ]. To the people back then, all of this was utter foolishness, and the Greek word for “foolishness”—the New Testament was written in Greek—is “moria,” our English word “moron” or “moronic.” So to the Greek mind, it was moronic to laud a crucified and then supposedly resurrected Jesus as “Savior.”

BUT, the Resurrection of Jesus is not something you can be neutral about. If He rose from the dead, then follow Him with every ounce of strength you have. He is the Savior, He is Lord, He is One of a Kind. And if you believe He didn’t rise from the dead then you need to realize the implications of your conclusions.

Jesus said about this: “Truly, truly I say to you, he who hears My Word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life and does not come into judgment but has passed out of death into life” [ John 5:24 ].

DON’T BE A ‘FOOL’!!! The Resurrection of Jesus Christ is the most determinative event of all time, because by it, the destiny of every person is ultimately determined. It is the most impactful thing that ever happened in the history of this world. How you respond to the Resurrection will determine whether you spend forever in Heaven or hell!!!

In fact, if this is a joke on anyone, it’s a joke on the devil. The devil may have thought he had won the victory. Jesus was dead. His followers were defeated and dispirited and had lost all hope. “Yippee! I won!” the devil could have said. But really, the joke was on him. In the very act of Jesus being crucified, the devil was being thwarted and his power was becoming undone. The devil’s grip over you, a sinner, was being broken, precisely by Jesus’ death on the cross. The Son of God has atoned for your sins. Therefore Satan has nothing with which to accuse you. Therefore there is nothing keeping you from entering into eternal life. And the resurrection of our Lord is the proof of this. It proves that what Christ has done for us is sufficient to win our salvation.

Martin Luther’s great Easter hymn puts it like this:

“It was a strange and dreadful strife
When life and death contended;
The victory remained with life,
The reign of death was ended.
Holy Scripture plainly saith
That death is swallowed up by death.
Its sting is lost forever.
Alleluia!”

The way I see it, the ‘joke’ is on the devil. He is the real ‘April fool’. He thought he had won, but in the very act by which he thought he had won, he really lost—big time!

Many of the ancient church fathers delighted to ponder this marvelous irony. For example, St. Augustine wrote: “The devil jumped for joy when Christ died; and by the very death of Christ the devil was overcome: he took, as it were, the bait in the mousetrap. He rejoiced at the death, thinking himself death’s commander. But that which caused his joy dangled the bait before him. The Lord’s cross was the devil’s mousetrap: the bait which caught him was the death of the Lord.”

So you see, it is as though Jesus is saying to Satan: “Surprise, devil! I am not dead! You did not win! Look, death did not defeat me. No, really, my death defeated you! Your reign is over! April Fool’s!”

In conclusion, there are only three possible responses to all of this: You either MOCK, POSTPONE, or BELIEVE. There’s an old poem, by Edgar Guest, that talks about this:

“He was going to be all that a mortal should be, tomorrow. No one should kinder or braver than he, tomorrow. Each morning he stacked up the letters he’d write, tomorrow. The greatest of workers this man would have been, tomorrow. The world would’ve known him had he ever seen tomorrow. But the fact is he died, and he faded from view, and all that he left here when living was through was a mountain of things he intended to do, tomorrow.”

DON’T WAIT for “tomorrow”! Believe in the glory of the Resurrection RIGHT NOW! (“If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved” – Romans 10:9-10).

Jesus holds the ‘keys’ of death and hell. He has conquered death and the devil…just for you! He has won the ‘victory’ for you! If you are His, you shall not die, but live…forever! He will lead you into everlasting life.

The Resurrection IS A FACT…NO ‘FOOLING’!!!

[ Excerpts from: Rebekah Earnshaw; John MacArthur; David Legge; J.I. Packer ]

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FYI: Other Related “Life’s Deep Thoughts” Posts:

“Greatest ‘Comeback’ Ever”:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/greatest-comeback-ever-v217/

“‘Metamorphosis’”:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/metamorphosis-v170/

“‘Doubting’ Spring Is Here”:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/may-08-v111/

=============

[ P.S.: If you would like to investigate further about if there is real evidence for the resurrection, visit the following link:
http://4vis.com/sfm/sfm_pres/sp_q2_d3_1of10.html ].

‘PRAYER’ OF REPENTANCE
In the Bible, there is a parable that Jesus told about a Pharisee and a tax collector praying in the Temple. He notes that the tax collector didn’t even dare to lift his eyes toward Heaven as he prayed. Instead he “beat his chest in sorrow, saying, ‘O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner’”—and Jesus said that the tax collector “went home justified,” he had been “born again” and ‘reconciled’ by God. (Luke 18:9-14).

If you are ‘sensing’ something like that right now, let me strongly encourage you to HUMBLE YOURSELF, CRY OUT to God, and PLEAD for Him to mercifully ‘SAVE’ YOU! None of us have a ‘claim’ on our salvation, nor do we have any ‘works’ that would cause us to deserve it or earn it—it is purely a gift of Divine grace—and all any of us can do is ask. So, CONFESS YOUR SINS and acknowledge to God that you have no hope for Heaven apart from what He provides through Jesus.

There is no ‘formula’ or certain words for this. So just talk to God, in your own words—He knows your ‘heart’. If you are genuinely sincere, and God does respond to your plea, one will usually have a sense of joy and peace.

Jesus said, “He that comes to Me, I will not cast out” [ John 6:37 ].

[ NOTE: If you have ‘tasted the kindness of the Lord’, please e-mail me—I would love to CELEBRATE with you, and help you get started on your ‘journey’ with Jesus! ].

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RESOURCES:

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“The Historical Jesus: Ancient Evidence for the Life of Christ”
By: Dr. Gary Habermas

Examining archaeological, textual and extra-biblical evidence, the author provides a strong foundation for the existence and deity of Jesus. This study will strengthen your faith, and equip you to present a strong case to seeking unbelievers.

“Who do you say that I am?” – Jesus

The Historical Jesus examines this mystery, answering the age-old question of Christ’s identity…

“This is an up-to-date, timely, and scholarly treatment of a crucial dimension of the Christian faith by one of the foremost historical apologists in America today?” -Dr. Norm Geisler, Dean of Southern Evangelical Seminary Veritas Graduate School

“The Historical Jesus is a careful, accessible analysis and critique of the various approaches to the historical Jesus. Habermas defends the historical veracity of the orthodox view of Jesus with a detailed set of convincing arguments. I don’t know how someone could read this book without concluding that Jesus Christ was who the New Testament proclaimed Him to be.” -Dr. J.P. Moreland, Professor of Philosophy, Talbot School of Theology, Biola University

“In The Historical Jesus, Habermas has provided us with an impressive critical overview of the historical Jesus that is at once penetratingly insightful and remarkable comprehensive. This work constitutes one of the best comprehensive refutation of the new revisionist views of Jesus to date as well as one of the best historical defenses of the evangelical view that Jesus was, and is, the Son of God. Must read…” -Dr. Gregory A. Boyd, Bethel College, Author of Cynic Sage or Son of God?; Recovering the Real Jesus in an Age of Revisionist Replies; Jesus Under Siege; and Letters From a Skeptic.

“Dr. Habermas combines his expertise as a philosopher and New Testament historian to offer a careful analysis of current trends in the study of Jesus…a balanced, biblical argument for the historicity of the New Testament documents and the evidence for the life, ministry, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth. This is an excellent text to prepare students and pastors to understand the essential issues in the study of Jesus.” – Dr. Michael J. Wilkins, Dean of the Faculty, Talbot School of Theology, Biola University.

https://www.amazon.com/Historical-Jesus-Ancient-Evidence-Christ/dp/0899007325

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“Did Jesus Rise From the Dead?: The Resurrection Debate”
By: Gary Habermas,‎ Terry Miethe,‎ and Antony Flew

[This] is the most important question regarding the claims of the Christian faith. Certainly no question in modern religious history demands more attention or interest, as witnessed by the vast body of literature dealing with the Resurrection. James I. Packer says it well in his response to this debate: ‘When Christians are asked to make good their claim that this scheme is truth, they point to Jesus’ resurrection. The Easter event, so they affirm, demonstrated Jesus’ deity; validated his teaching; attested to the completion of his work of atonement for sin; confirms his present cosmic dominion and coming reappearance as Judge; assures us that his personal pardon, presence, and power in people’s lives today is fact; and guarantees each believer’s own reembodiment by Resurrection in the world to come’ The Apostle Paul considered the Resurrection to be the cornerstone of the Christian faith. If Jesus did not rise from the dead, the whole structure, Christianity, collapses. Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 15:14-17, ‘And if Christ has not been raised, ‘our preaching is useless and so is you faith’ More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God. . . . And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile [emphasis added]’ The Christian faith-and its claim to be Truth-exists only if Jesus rose from the dead. The heart of Christianity is a living Christ.

https://www.amazon.com/Did-Jesus-Rise-Dead-Resurrection/dp/1592444318/

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“The Case for the Resurrection of Jesus”
By: Gary R. Habermas and‎ Michael Licona

“There is nothing like this on the market. It is interesting, engaging, and crucial material.”
—Norman Geisler

This is an accessible, comprehensive, and persuasive resource providing detailed evidence for the resurrection of Jesus. It also demonstrates how to share the material clearly, honestly, and definitively. Included is an interactive CD which tests the reader’s knowledge of the material by using an entertaining TV game show format.

“[The authors] have distinguished themselves as leading experts on the evidence for this all important event.”
—D. James Kennedy

Written by the leading evangelical apologist on the resurrection and an up-and-comer
Includes an interactive CD to cement the information from the book
Written for lay people but includes extensive footnotes that scholars will find valuable
Includes charts, diagrams, and a detailed outline for quick reference

https://www.amazon.com/Case-Resurrection-Jesus-Gary-Habermas/dp/0825427886/

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“The Case for Miracles: A Journalist Investigates Evidence for the Supernatural”
By: Lee Strobel

New York Times bestselling author Lee Strobel trains his investigative sights on the hot-button issue of whether it’s credible to believe God intervenes supernaturally in people’s lives today.

This provocative book starts with an unlikely interview in which America’s foremost skeptic builds a seemingly persuasive case against the miraculous. But then Strobel travels the country to quiz scholars to see whether they can offer solid answers to atheist objections. Along the way, he encounters astounding accounts of healings and other phenomena that simply cannot be explained away by naturalistic causes. The book features the results of exclusive new scientific polling that shows miracle accounts are much more common than people think.

What’s more, Strobel delves into the most controversial question of all: what about miracles that don’t happen? If God can intervene in the world, why doesn’t he do it more often to relieve suffering? Many American Christians are embarrassed by the supernatural, not wanting to look odd or extreme to their neighbors. Yet, The Case for Miracles shows not only that the miraculous is possible, but that God still does intervene in our world in awe-inspiring ways. Here’s a unique book that examines all sides of this issue and comes away with a passionate defense for God’s divine action in lives today.

https://www.amazon.com/Case-Miracles-Journalist-Investigates-Supernatural/dp/0310259185/

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“The Resurrection of Jesus Christ”
By: John MacArthur

https://www.amazon.com/Resurrection-Jesus-Christ-Matthew-MacArthurs/dp/0802453767/

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“The Case for the Resurrection, Paperback: A First-Century Investigative Reporter Probes History’s Pivotal Event”
By: Lee Strobel

The Case for the Resurrection, a ninety-six-page booklet from bestselling author Lee Strobel, provides new evidence that shines a fresh light on the Bible’s most important story—the resurrection. Whether you’re a pastor, layperson, student, parent, or grandparent … leading up to the Easter holiday season is a time when millions of people are looking for engaging ways to bring the Easter story to life. The Case for the Resurrection is designed to help meet your needs by providing a compact, low-priced booklet with new evidence from Lee Strobel that shines a fresh light on the Bible’s most important story—the resurrection. Featuring free NIV sample material from Strobel’s new The Case for Christ Study Bible, the Easter story from the book of Luke with all study notes from The Case for Christ Study Bible linking into the story, and the most-read, most-trusted NIV Scripture text … this small but powerful booklet will become required Easter reading for you year after year.

https://www.amazon.com/Case-Resurrection-Paperback-First-Century-Investigative/dp/0310949890/

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“The Case for Easter: A Journalist Investigates the Evidence for the Resurrection”
By: Lee Strobel

How credible is the evidence for, and against, the resurrection of Jesus Christ? Focusing his award-winning skills as a legal journalist on history’s most compelling enigma, Lee Strobel retraces the startling findings that led him from atheism to belief in the biblical New Testament story.

Of the many world religions, only one claims that its founder returned from the grave. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the very cornerstone of Christianity. But in our sophisticated age, when myth has given way to science, who can take such a claim seriously? Some argue that Jesus never died on the cross. Conflicting accounts make the empty tomb seem suspect. How credible is the proof for the resurrection? Focusing on his award-winning skills as a legal journalist on history’s most compelling enigma, Lee Strobel retraces the startling findings that led him from atheism to belief. Drawing on expert testimony first shared in his blockbuster book The Case for Christ, Strobel examines: The Medical Evidence – Was Jesus’ death a sham and his resurrection a hoax? The Evidence of the Missing Body – Was Jesus’ body really absent from his tomb? The Evidence of Appearances – Was Jesus seen alive after his death on the cross? Written in a hard-hitting journalistic style, this book probes the core issues of the resurrection. Jesus Christ, risen from the dead: superstitious myth or life-changing reality? The evidence is in. The verdict is up to you.

https://www.amazon.com/Case-Easter-Journalist-Investigates-Resurrection/dp/0310254752/

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“The Very First Easter”
By: Paul L. Maier

The Gold Medallion Award-winning team of the renowned ancient historian and the gifted illustrator make the story of Jesus death and resurrection come alive for children aged 5 to 10. Difficult questions are asked, reasonable answers given. For family reading or religious education.

https://www.amazon.com/Very-First-Easter-Paul-Maier/dp/0758606273/

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“The Son Rises: Historical Evidence for the Resurrection of Jesus”
By: William Lane Craig

Is the Christian message of Jesus Christ and his resurrection true? Using ten lines of historical evidence, Dr. Craig defends the probability that Jesus was resurrected following his crucifixion. He examines the origin of the Christian movement, and more provocative subjects, such as the Shroud of Turin, parapsychological phenomena and hallucinations.

https://www.amazon.com/Son-Rises-Historical-Evidence-Resurrection/dp/1579104649/

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“Jesus: Dead or Alive?: Evidence for the Resurrection – Teen Edition”
By: Josh McDowell and Sean McDowell

Skeptical teens are the beating heart of Josh McDowell Ministires, and in this specially designed resource for youth, bestselling author Josh McDowell and his son Sean look at the claims of the Gospel writers and examine the compelling evidence for Jesus Christ’s resurrection. Writing in a language that will resonate with 21st-century youth and in chapters that correspond to the adult and children’s editions of the book, Josh and Sean invite skeptical teens to discover the proof of Christ’s resurrection and what it means for them today.

https://www.amazon.com/Jesus-Dead-Alive-Evidence-Resurrection/dp/0830747877/

—————-
“Scandalous: The Cross and Resurrection of Jesus”
By: D. A. Carson

How are Christians to approach the central gospel teachings concerning the death and resurrection of Jesus? The Bible firmly establishes the historicity of these events and doesn’t leave their meanings ambiguous or open to interpretation. Even so, there is an irony and surprising strangeness to the cross. Carson shows that this strange irony has deep implications for our lives as he examines the history and theology of Jesus’s crucifixion and resurrection.

Scandalous highlights important theological truths in accessible and applicable ways. Both amateur theologians and general readers will appreciate how Carson deftly preserves weighty theology while simultaneously noting the broader themes of Jesus’ death and resurrection. Through exposition of five primary passages of Scripture, Carson helps us to more fully understand and appreciate the scandal of the cross.

https://www.amazon.com/Scandalous-Cross-Resurrection-D-Carson/dp/1433511258/

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“The Resurrection of Jesus: A New Historiographical Approach”
By: Michael R. Licona

The question of the historicity of Jesus’ resurrection has been repeatedly probed, investigated and debated. And the results have varied widely. Perhaps some now regard this issue as the burned-over district of New Testament scholarship. Could there be any new and promising approach to this problem? Yes, answers Michael Licona. And he convincingly points us to a significant deficiency in approaching this question: our historiographical orientation and practice. So he opens this study with an extensive consideration of historiography and the particular problem of investigating claims of miracles. This alone is a valuable contribution. But then Licona carefully applies his principles and methods to the question of Jesus’ resurrection. In addition to determining and working from the most reliable sources and bedrock historical evidence, Licona critically weighs other prominent hypotheses. His own argument is a challenging and closely argued case for the historicity of the resurrection of Jesus, the Christ. Any future approaches to dealing with this “prize puzzle” of New Testament study will need to be routed through The Resurrection of Jesus.

https://www.amazon.com/Resurrection-Jesus-New-Historiographical-Approach/dp/0830827196/

—————-
“Jesus: Understanding His Death and Resurrection”
By: Kay Arthur and David Arthur

Discover afresh the good news of the gospel.

The long-awaited Messiah had finally arrived—only to be betrayed and sentenced to death. Why would Jesus, who knew beforehand all that would happen and who held the power of heaven at His command, submit to being humiliated, tortured, and ultimately killed?

In this powerful study centered on the final chapters of the gospel of Mark, you’ll consider for yourself all that Jesus endured to bring forgiveness to sinners and hope to the hopeless. And you’ll understand as never before why it’s so essential to share with others the good news of His death and resurrection.

https://www.amazon.com/Jesus-Understanding-Resurrection-40-Minute-Studies/dp/1601428049/

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“Resurrection”

Where the passion ends, resurrection begins

[ Max Lucado ]

DVD:
https://www.amazon.com/Resurrection-Lucado-Story-Mark-Steele/dp/B004INTN76

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“FRUITS OF THE BEATITUDES” WEB SITE
(The ATTITUDES of Jesus that produce the CHARACTER of Jesus)

CLICK ON THE LINK to view:
http://fruitsofthebeatitudes.org/

FACEBOOK PAGE:
https://www.facebook.com/FruitsOfTheBeatitudes/

[ Mark Besh ]

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ARTICLES:

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“The Top 100 April Fool’s Day Hoaxes of All Time”

We’ve researched the entire history of April Fool’s Day and selected its top 100 hoaxes ever, as judged by creativity, historical significance, the number of people duped, and notoriety. The first version of this list was created in the late 1990s. Over the years it’s been revised a number of times, based upon reader feedback and ongoing research. The most recent major revision occurred in March 2015.

Other April Fool resources at the Museum include: the April Fool Archive (a year-by-year archive of the entire history of the celebration), the Origin of April Fool’s Day, the April Fool FAQ, and the Top 10 Worst April Fools Ever. Also, you can find more info about most of the hoaxes in the Top 100 list by clicking their title or thumbnail.
http://hoaxes.org/aprilfool/

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“15 April Fool’s Pranks That Went Terribly Wrong”

These are the all-time April Fool’s Day backfires.

http://bestlifeonline.com/15-april-fools-pranks-that-went-terribly-wrong/

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“April Fool’s Day Pranks”

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“April Fool’s Day Examples”

The media can’t resist getting into the act. Radio personalities are especially drawn to creating playful hoaxes. The year Canada introduced a two-dollar coin, pranksters from CHEZ FM fooled listeners into believing April 1 was the last day the treasury would honor all the two-dollar bills still in circulation. Local banks and the Royal Canadian Mint fielded call after call from concerned citizens. That same year, other radio pranksters had people going through their pocket change in search of the elusive two-dollar coins which had mistakenly been minted from real gold.

It’s not just the DJs who give into the urge to prank on April Fools’. Canadian Member of Parliament Sheila Copps was responsible for a particularly creative leg-pull in 1996. On the respected news show CBO Morning, she announced that the clock in Ottawa’s Peace Tower was being switched over to digital.

Arguably the best media-generated April fools’ joke dates from a Richard Dimbleby “news report” aired on 1 April 1957 on BBC’s Panorama. It opened with a line about Spring coming early that year, prompting the spaghetti harvest in Switzerland to be early, too.

Against a video backdrop of happy peasant women harvesting spaghetti from trees, whimsical claims about the foodstuff’s cultivation were made in a straightfaced manner. Spaghetti’s oddly uniform length was explained as the result of years of dedicated cultivation. The ravenous spaghetti weevil which had wreaked havoc with harvests of years past had been conquered, said the report.

More than 250 viewers jammed the BBC switchboard after the hoax aired, most of them calling in with serious inquiries about the piece—where could they go to watch the harvesting operation? Could they buy spaghetti plants themselves? (For those anxious to try their hand at homegrown pasta, Panorama producer Michael Peacock offered this helpful hint: “Many British enthusiasts have had admirable results from planting a small tin of spaghetti in tomato sauce.”)

Although adults get into the spirit of things (ask any zoo worker about manning the phones on April 1 and having to field endless calls for Mr. Lyon, Guy Rilla, and Albert Ross), it’s the children that seem to truly celebrate the day with wild abandon. April Fools’ pranking between students and teachers is an ongoing battle of wits, with kids favoring the timeworn standards of a tack on the chair, the “missing class” (kids hide under their desks when the teacher is momentarily called out of the room), or a springy fabric snake coiled in a can of nuts. Not every teacher fights back, but those who do are often inventive about it. For more than 20 years, one grade school teacher in Boston comes in early on that day to write the day’s assignment upside down on the blackboard. When her curious students arrive, she tells them she did it by standing on the ceiling.

The style of April Fools’ pranks has changed over the years. Sending the unsuspecting on pointless errands was an especially prized practical joke in those earlier post-Julian days. In modern times, that form of pranking has shifted away from April Fools’ merriment and seemingly become a rite of initiation into many groups, both formal and informal. New campers are routinely sent on a mission to retrieve the left-handed smoke shifter from its last borrower by more experienced campers who then quietly guffaw to themselves as the tenderfoot wanders about in vain on his quest. Rookie pilots are sent in search of a bucket of prop wash, and new carnies sent on wild goose chases for the elusive keys to the fairgrounds.

Current tastes seem to run more to funny phone calls and media-driven extravaganzas. But it’s still okay to reach back to older times for inspiration. Be a traditionalist—on April 1 send a co-worker to fetch a tube of elbow grease or 50 feet of shoreline.

https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/april-fools39-day-origins/

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“Testimony of the Risen Christ by Sir Lionel Lukoo, 1983”

Sir Lionel Luckhoo was twice knighted by Queen Elizabeth, the only person ever to be an Ambassador for two Sovereign Nations, Guyana and Barbados, Judge of the Supreme Court in Guyana, named for 14 years as the world’s most successful attorneys of all time (Guinness Book of World Records for the Guinness Book of World Records for the largest number of successive murder acquittals – 245). Someone once challenged him to use his extraordinary legal analytical ability to consider the case for the resurrection of Jesus Christ and make a conclusion based upon the evidence. After several years of analysis studying the historical evidence, he stated, “I say unequivocally that the resurrection of Jesus Christ is so overwhelming that it compels acceptance by proof which leaves absolutely no room for doubt.”

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“Harvard Law Professor Puts Jesus’ Resurrection on Trial”

Legal scholar, Dr. Simon Greenleaf (1783–1853), decided to put Jesus’ resurrection on trial by examining the evidence. Greenleaf helped to put the Harvard Law School on the map. He also wrote the three-volume legal masterpiece, A Treatise on the Law of Evidence, which has been called “the greatest single authority in the entire literature of legal procedure.”[1] The U.S. judicial system today still relies on rules of evidence established by Greenleaf.

As a legal scholar, Greenleaf wondered if Jesus’ resurrection would meet his stringent tests for evidence. He wondered whether or not the evidence for it would hold up in a court of law. Focusing his brilliant legal mind on the facts of history, Greenleaf began applying his rules of evidence to the case of Jesus’ resurrection.

Contrary to what skeptics might have expected, the more Greenleaf investigated the record of history, the more evidence he discovered supporting the claim that Jesus had indeed risen from the tomb.

So, what was that evidence? Greenleaf observed several dramatic changes that took place shortly after Jesus died, the most baffling being the behavior of the disciples. It wasn’t just one or two disciples who insisted Jesus had risen; it was all of them. Applying his own rules of evidence to the facts, Greenleaf arrived at his verdict.

After evaluating all the evidence, Greenleaf accepted Jesus’ resurrection as the best explanation for the events that took place immediately after his crucifixion. To this brilliant legal scholar, it would have been impossible for the disciples to persist with their conviction that Jesus had risen if they hadn’t actually seen the risen Christ.[2]

To this legal expert, the case for Jesus’ resurrection was so compelling that he had no doubt it would hold up in a court of law. In his book, The Testimony of the Evangelists, Greenleaf documents the evidence supporting his conclusion. He challenges those who seek the truth about the resurrection to fairly examine the evidence.

Greenleaf believed that any unbiased person who honestly examines the evidence, as in a court of law, will conclude what he did—that Jesus Christ has truly risen.[3]

[ Larry Chapman ]

http://y-jesus.com/simon-greenleaf-resurrection/

Additional Info:
http://www.creationstudies.org/Education/simon_greenleaf.html

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“About Easter on April Fool’s Day”

When I was an atheist and legal editor of the Chicago Tribune I would have smirked at the fact that Easter this year falls on April Fool’s Day because back then I thought that anyone would have to be a fool to think that Jesus literally rose from the dead… [more ].

[ Lee Strobel ]

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“We Are Fools If Not For Easter”

Todd reminds us this Easter that there is something greater than you. In Ecclesiastes 6:12, Solomon says your life will pass through like a shadow. Todd reminds us the key to making your shadow have meaning is to not merely live under the sun, but in relationship with the Son. Because of the Resurrection, we are no fools to follow Christ.

Scripture References: 1 Corinthians 15 , Matthew 6 , Ecclesiastes 6 , 1 Peter 2

CLICK LINK TO VIEW: http://www.watermark.org/message/3295

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“Foolishness of the Resurrection”

A lot of people might say you know it’s really appropriate that April Fool’s is on Easter, because the Resurrection of Jesus Christ is the biggest hoax, the biggest prank that’s ever been played in human history. A lot of people say that and they say for you to be here on Easter Sunday thinking that someone actually rose from the dead, well you got to be a fool. You’re falling for the biggest April Fool’s joke ever—that a man came back from the dead. So, how appropriate some people might think that we are here celebrating the biggest hoax in human history that someone actually came back from the dead.

1 Corinthians 15:1-11

[ David’s Community Bible Church ]

CLICK LINK TO VIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3HyKctzuvX8

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“The Foolishness of Easter?”

Easter is the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Too many it is foolish. They think it’s ridiculous to believe an innocent man would chose to die on a cross. They think it’s foolish to believe someone who was dead and put in a sealed tomb would come back to life. But that’s exactly what Jesus did. It was God’s plan to redeem man. 1Corinthians 1:25 says, “For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.” God’s ways often seem foolish to human reason. For many it makes more sense to celebrate bunny rabbits, baskets, and colored eggs than God’s salvation of man. Jesus went to the cross to pay the price for our sins. He took our sins and gave us His righteousness. He is alive and because He lives we now have eternal life with Him. The cross may seem foolish to those who don’t believe but to us who believe it is the power of God. In this short video I share several powerful benefits of the foolishness of Easter for those who believe.

[ Bruce Edwards ]

CLICK LINK TO VIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-I2pGhXPFAE

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“The Resurrection: Foolish, Fake News, or Fact?”

Is there any evidence OUTSIDE the Bible for the Resurrection of Jesus Christ? Dr. Robert Jeffress answers this question on Fox News on Easter Sunday.

[ Dr. Robert Jeffress ]

CLICK LINK TO VIEW: https://vimeo.com/262753492

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“Jesus’ Resurrection: Why is it important and the Evidence Required”

[ Number1557 ]

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“The Resurrection Proves Wisdom & Foolishness”

One thing is proves is the wisdom of believers, and sadly, the foolishness of unbelievers.

[ Renew Church ]

CLICK LINK TO VIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jyj1FOpfYt8

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“The Resurrection of Jesus” (The Historical Evidence)

This video is the core of the resurrection argument and goes over most of the historical data.

1st Note – This way of arguing for the resurrection was adopted from philosopher Tim McGrew and expanded on.

2nd Note – I am using the term “theory” loosely, not in a strict scientific sense, but in a loose sense to simply mean an idea of what possibly happened in the past.

[ Inspiring Philosophy ]

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“Conclusive Evidence of Christ’s Resurrection”

The resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ from the dead, the literal physical bodily resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ from the dead is so critical to the Christian gospel that all four gospel writers – Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John – give us an account of the resurrection and provide for us multiple evidences of its reality. The resurrection is a historical fact, as the Lord Jesus was a historical person, died an actual historical death, rose from the dead in real history and in physical form, though a glorified physical form. This is so critical to Christianity that the evidences are piled up by the gospel writers, and then even enhanced by the apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians, chapter 15… [more].

CLICK LINK TO VIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bk1LtiEiYsc

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“Evidence For The Resurrection Of Jesus Christ”

Bobby shares evidence for the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

[ One Minute Apologist ]

“492. What Is The Evidence For The Resurrection Of Jesus Christ?”:

“494. Evidence For The Resurrection Of Jesus Christ: Part 2”:
CLICK LINK TO VIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mE-cRJ4PAWM

“495. Evidence For The Resurrection Of Jesus Christ: Part 3”:
CLICK LINK TO VIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VEvZJMG9EH8

“496. Evidence For The Resurrection Of Jesus Christ: Part 4”:
CLICK LINK TO VIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WsWvmAUeZho

“497. Evidence For The Resurrection Of Jesus Christ: Part 5”:
CLICK LINK TO VIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNygEQiNNz0

“498. Evidence For The Resurrection Of Jesus Christ: Part 6”:
CLICK LINK TO VIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBxCsjVtsbk

“499. Evidence For The Resurrection Of Jesus Christ: Part 7”:
CLICK LINK TO VIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9QFgkxvn0_8

“500. Evidence For The Resurrection Of Jesus Christ: Part 8”:
CLICK LINK TO VIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDJZ1kWTpCQ

“501. What Difference Does The Resurrection Make?”:
CLICK LINK TO VIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g00qb15vJ_g

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“The Resurrection”

Jim Cantelon talks to Josh McDowell about the book he wrote with his son Sean, “The Unshakable Truth” and talks about various theories surrounding the death and resurrection of Jesus.

[ 100 Huntley ]

CLICK LINK TO VIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmBPXsNWPKU

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“The Resurrection Evidence that Changed Current Scholarship”

From “To Everyone an Answer: 10th Annual EPS Apologetics Conference”

[ Gary Habermas ]

CLICK LINK TO VIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5znVUFHqO4Q

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“5 Reasons to Believe in the Resurrection of Jesus”

All of Christianity hinges on one miracle: the resurrection of Jesus. But how do we know it actually happened? How do we know it wasn’t some elaborate hoax or trick? Well here are 5 good reasons why you should believe in the resurrection.

[ Pursue God Youth ]

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“What Are The Proofs For The Resurrection of Jesus?”

“What historical proof or evidence is there that Jesus really rose from the dead?”
Dr. Theodore Cabal answers in Honest Answers | Episode 15

[ Dr. Theodore Cabal ]

CLICK LINK TO VIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Je9lI5jPTnQ

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“About The Evidence For The Resurrection of Jesus”

Interview about Lee’s new book, “The Case for the Real Jesus.”

[ Lee Strobel ]

CLICK LINK TO VIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZaZRE5Cr_4

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“The 4 E’s of the Resurrection”

Execution; Early (accounts); Empty (tomb); Eyewitnesses.

[ Lee Strobel ]

CLICK LINK TO VIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Itcj8mhMcA

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“Evidence for Jesus’ Resurrection”

Easter Interview with Gary Habermas.

[ Truths That Transform ]

CLICK LINK TO VIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JPbkn5Aq3A0

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“Evidence Jesus Christ Rose from the Dead”

Was Jesus Christ raised from the dead, as Christians claim? How would we know? What evidence is there? In this clip, William Lane Craig, professor of philosophy at Talbot, addresses one body of evidence that suggests that Jesus really did rise from the dead.

[ William Lane Craig ]

CLICK LINK TO VIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Od8U-Z_NVFA

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“Four Historical Facts that Prove Jesus Rose from the Dead”

1). The honorable burial.
2). The discovery of Jesus’ empty tomb.
3). The post-mortem appearances of Jesus.
4). The origin of the disciples’ belief.

[ John Ankerberg Show ]

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“Was Jesus Truly Raised From the Dead?”

Was Jesus of Nazareth truly raised from the dead? Does it even matter that we have an answer to this question? Watch and share this powerful sermon from Pastor Jeff Durbin at Apologia Church about the resurrection of the Son of God.

[ Jeff Durbin ]

CLICK LINK TO VIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9qGY-D42fI

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“Atheist Police Detective Examines the Resurrection of Jesus becomes Christian”

Lecture by acclaimed police detective J. Warner Wallace. Wallace was an atheist, while rejecting the New Testament claims on the resurrection of Jesus. However, after examining the evidence of Christianity and the resurrection of Jesus, he became a born-again Christian.

[ J. Warner Wallace ]

CLICK LINK TO VIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SjXMsq6SscA
CLICK LINK TO VIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkllFXIsV6M
CLICK LINK TO VIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNuhIBwnQs0

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“The Resurrection Meets Skepticism”

Pomona First Baptist Church (February 22, 2015) – Lecture by Christian scholar and thinker Gary Habermas. Buy his books dealing with the evidence and arguments for the resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth.

[ Gary Habermas ]

CLICK LINK TO VIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3P183MNI7c

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“The Minimal Facts Approach to the Resurrection”

In this interview with staff apologist Jacob Daniel (apologetics.com), world-renowned scholar and authority Dr. Gary Habermas presents his ‘Minimal Facts’ approach for the resurrection of Jesus Christ. He argues that, today, the scholars in secular world are moving more towards accepting the data on resurrection as credible facts. He encourages serious thinkers by pointing out that, it is truly a favorable and positive era to study resurrection and one must go where the evidences lead.

[ Gary Habermas ]

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“A Historian Examines the Evidence for the Resurrection of Jesus”

Peter Williams gives this lecture on the evidence of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

[ Peter J. Williams, PhD ]

CLICK LINK TO VIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1EoRT4PSCUo

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“Evidence for the Resurrection”

Lecture by Mike Licona. This video is part of the ‘Reasons Conference’

[ Mike Licona, PhD ]

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“The Resurrection of Jesus”

The bodily resurrection of Christ from the dead is central to the Gospel. If Christ is not raised, our faith is in vain. In this message, C.J. Mahaney will explain the importance of Christ’s resurrection, why it is necessary to the accomplishment of his work, and how it grounds our hope for the future.

[ C.J. Mahaney ]

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“The Resurrection of Jesus Christ: The Main Event in Redemptive History”

This is just such a special Lord’s day every year, as we celebrate a risen Christ. Those of you who are with us regularly know that we have just recently completed a study of the wonderful account of Jesus written by Luke. It was just really a few weeks ago when in finishing up our study of the gospel of Luke, we considered the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ in some detail, even pulling in Matthew’s account and John’s account and Mark’s account to get a full picture… [more].

[ John MacArthur ]

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“The Resurrection of Jesus Christ”

Message of the Month (Part 5 of 5). “The Resurrection”

[ R.C. Sproul ]

CLICK LINK TO VIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ntoyiwi0ZrE

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“What accounts for the post-resurrection experiences of people like Jesus’ brother, James and others?”

What accounts for the post-resurrection experiences of people like Jesus’ brother, James, the “doubting” disciple, Thomas, and Mary Magdalene?
This clip is from our series entitled “Did Jesus Really Rise From the Dead?”

[ John Ankerberg ]

CLICK LINK TO VIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bg5L5CSs2UI

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“For the Resurrection of Christ”

“He is not here, for he is risen as he said.” This message from the angel at the tomb on the first Easter morning is central to the Gospel. The Apostle Paul could not be any clearer when he tells us that if Christ is not raised, our faith is in vain. The doctrine of the resurrection of Christ has been attacked and mocked for two thousand years, but Christians dare not compromise on this truth.

[ Steven Lawson ]

CLICK LINK TO VIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZHqw8e6E1g

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“The Resurrection of Christ”

This message will defend one of the central claims of the Christian faith – the bodily resurrection of Jesus.

[ R.C. Sproul ]

CLICK LINK TO VIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hr3PkGXYRvI

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“Witnesses of the Resurrection: The Apostolic Message”

R.C. Sproul explains the centrality of the resurrection to the apostolic Gospel proclamation in the book of Acts and in the Epistles. We often talk about why Jesus died, but why was it also necessary that He be raised? This lecture explains why it is not only the doctrine of Christ’s resurrection that is central, but the doctrine of the general resurrection as well.

[ R.C. Sproul ]

CLICK LINK TO VIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QwJHhB2oJz0

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“He Is Risen!: The Resurrection and Worship”

In this final message, R.C. Sproul examines the way in which the doctrine of resurrection has shaped and should shape the day, the form, the content, and the manner of our worship.

[ R.C. Sproul ]

CLICK LINK TO VIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4jemC-qUc4

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“The Order of the Resurrection”

Open your Bible to 1 Corinthians chapter 15. We are in a study of the fifteenth chapter of 1 Corinthians on the resurrection. We have emphasized its utter importance to us as believers, to the church of Jesus Christ, to the Son of God, to the Spirit of God, to the Father Himself. This is the ultimate end of everything that God has planned in His glorious redemption… [more].

(1 Corinthians 15:20-28)

[ John MacArthur ]

CLICK LINK TO VIEW: https://www.gty.org/library/sermons-library/90-409

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“What If There Is No Resurrection?”

Now I know tonight we’re going to be looking at 1 Corinthians 15 as we continue through this great resurrection chapter. But to begin with, I want you to turn in your Bible to the seventeenth chapter of Acts…the seventeenth chapter of Acts because I think it gives us a good setting for what we’re going to see in Paul’s letter to the Corinthians… [more].

[ John MacArthur ]

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“The Wonder of the Resurrection”

The meaning of the Resurrection; sin has to be punished; delivered from our enemies; death is conquered.

[ Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones ]

CLICK LINK TO VIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2qwhjdZq4kM

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“The Mystery of the Resurrection”

We come now to the final section of 1 Corinthians 15. We have been going through this great resurrection chapter. You’re a wonderful congregation to preach to, you love the truth, you embrace the truth with a full heart and you express so often, as many of you have to me, your joy over what we’ve learned in this chapter. It’s been so encouraging to me. Not everybody is interested in what happens after we die. Most people today, even in churches, seem to be a lot more interested in what goes on here… [more].

[ John MacArthur ]

CLICK LINK TO VIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5Y7BUqXk8I

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“The Reality of the Resurrection”

I’m really looking forward to spending a series of Sunday nights with you on the subject of resurrection, resurrection; and we’re going to build that around 1 Corinthians, chapter 15, and we actually will get to 1 Corinthians 15, but not right away, a little later tonight. I want to give you an introduction, a kind of reason why I’m doing this. I know you all believe in the resurrection or you wouldn’t be here, because to be a Christian, as we hear it in the testimony and baptism, you must confess Jesus as Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead. That is God’s vindication and validation of the atoning work of Christ on the cross. So we are believers in the resurrection.

[ John MacArthur ]

The Reality of Resurrection, Part 1:
CLICK LINK TO VIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXxj4tcwJHM

The Reality of Resurrection, Part 2:
CLICK LINK TO VIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0PkkpXTbXc

The Reality of Resurrection, Part 3:
CLICK LINK TO VIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zWlSDtKoefc

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“Did Jesus Rise from the Dead”

Debate between Gary Habermas and Anthony Flew.

[ John Ankerberg Show ]

CLICK LINK TO VIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ksa8uGe21rw

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“The Historical Evidence That Changed a Generation of Scholars”

Gary Habermas is the Distinguished Professor of Apologetics and Philosophy and chairman, Department of Philosophy and Theology, at Liberty University, explores the historical evidence for the resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth. Recording from The Veritas Forum at UC-Santa Barbara.

[ Gary Habermas ]

CLICK LINK TO VIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ay_Db4RwZ_M

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“The Third Day”

Did Jesus really rise from the dead, as the Bible says? Is He really the Son of God, as He claimed to be? Or was he a fraud, a liar, and a lunatic as his opponents claimed he was? Some critics say that his corpse was stolen by his disciples. Others maintain that the disciples went to the wrong tomb or had hallucinations. Did they create a legend in order to maintain their faith in Jesus and keep the movement going? What evidence do we have that the resurrection of Jesus really happened? Scholars take a hard look and offer honest, thought-provoking answers.

[ Inspirational Films ]

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“Proofs of the Resurrection of Jesus”

Teaching on the Proof’s of Christ’s Resurrection, apologetics seminar, college class, exploring the facts surrounding the resurrection, world renowned expert lectures, learning to win debates about the resurrection. Defend the faith and Christ Jesus to skeptics. Video of Apologetics seminar at Luther Rice Seminary and University taught by Mike Licona.

[ Mike Licona ]

CLICK LINK TO VIEW: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-0zpu2toenZF1QZ-ZqaSvFsFXX7EzQLh

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“Top 10 Myths About the Resurrection of Jesus”

Christian scholar and historian Michael R. Licona tackles top 10 common myths about the resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth.

[ Mike Licona ]

CLICK LINK TO VIEW: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-0zpu2toenYeaPGGB_VsHCNXDQDcsasr

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“Jesus Rose from the Dead… So What?”

In our postmodern culture, why is the resurrection of Christ even relevant?

In this powerful Easter sermon, Dr. Michael emphasizes the eternal importance of Jesus’ resurrection and what it means for all people today.

[ Michael Youssef ]

CLICK LINK TO VIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lD1u2jz62Ks

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“Christ the Lord is Risen Today”

The Brookwood Praise Choir sings this upbeat HymnCharts arrangement of the popular Easter hymn.

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“The Gospel of John” (Resurrection Scene)

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“Christ is Risen”

Performed on Church Online by Joel Limpic and Marcy Preist. Spoken and written by David Bowden for LifeChurch.tv’s Church Online Easter Experience. Song: Christ is Risen is written by Matt Maher.

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“The Resurrection”

Celebrate the Good News of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ with Turning Point.

CLICK LINK TO VIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MW-H5udX-p8

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“Three Reasons the Resurrection Matters – The Garden Tomb”

[ Robert Jeffress ]

CLICK LINK TO VIEW: https://vimeo.com/257774389

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“He Is Risen”

The words He is risen, remind us of the joyous news we celebrate at Easter, that Jesus death was not in vain, and that He has the power to overcome death. The resurrection of Christ gives us hope for salvation and eternal life.

[ Billy Graham ]

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“The Resurrection of Jesus”

[ Charles Stanley ]

CLICK LINK TO VIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2qzD1jq1UBE

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“The Resurrection”

Christians today celebrate Easter Sunday with joy, knowing that the Lord Jesus is risen, but eyewitnesses to the event weren’t immediately sure what had happened. The description they provided is based primarily on evidence, not emotion, and we must employ both faith and reason to understand it. Using the Apostle John’s account of the resurrection, Alistair Begg encourages us to thoughtfully consider the scriptural record and to respond in faith, affirming that “He is risen indeed!”

[ Alistair Begg ]

CLICK LINK TO VIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W02wzBNQ584

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“Is There Life After Death?”
(2009 West Coast Ligonier Conference)

Many Christians reflect upon the purpose and consequences of Jesus’ resurrection only at Easter. This is distressing because the resurrection, as the event upon which Christianity stands or falls, should occupy first place in our thinking and living.

In Ligonier Ministries’ 2009 West Coast Conference held in Seattle, Wash., “Is There Life After Death?,” R.C. Sproul, Alistair Begg, and Michael Horton examine the significance of the resurrection of Christ for worship, preaching, apologetics, and other issues. A firm understanding of the resurrection is essential for confronting false teaching and looking forward to our life in the world to come.

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“He is Not Here: The Significance of the Empty Tomb”

Alistair Begg examines the significance of the Gospel accounts of the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ. Why are the accounts of the resurrection of Christ so central in all four Gospels? What is the place of the resurrection of Christ in redemptive history?

[ Alistair Begg ]

CLICK LINK TO VIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=87lY7fFs6ns

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“Foolishness to the Greeks: Preaching the Resurrection Today”

The doctrine of the resurrection was a stumbling block in the first century, and it remains a stumbling block today. Michael Horton explains why the doctrine has always been a stumbling block and why it cannot be set aside or altered.

[ Michael Horton ]

CLICK LINK TO VIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2cETT5CxWg

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“In the Likeness of His Resurrection: The Bodily Resurrection of the Believer”

Alistair Begg carefully explores the Pauline doctrine of the resurrection of the body, and looks at the nature of the connection between the resurrection of Christ and that of His people.

[ Alistair Begg ]

CLICK LINK TO VIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FA7DQwtg4-I

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“He Is Risen!: The Resurrection and Worship”

In this final message, R.C. Sproul examines the way in which the doctrine of resurrection has shaped and should shape the day, the form, the content, and the manner of our worship.

[ R.C. Sproul ]

CLICK LINK TO VIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4jemC-qUc4

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“Profound Implications of the Resurrection”

I want to talk to you about the resurrection and the scope of the resurrection—and the importance of the resurrection. I was reading an article this week in which the gentleman was offering a handful of reasons why to reject the resurrection—the resurrection of Christ. That’s nothing new that has been around since his arrest in was first announced. Soldiers were bribed to lie about the resurrection. And there have been people trying to discredit the resurrection ever since. It just may be that there are some Christian people and others who don’t quite understand how critical the resurrection is to our Christian faith. I think it’s fair to say that the whole of Christianity is built on the resurrection. If there is no resurrection there is no Christianity. If there is no resurrection God is Satan—and the Bible is full of lies. If there is no resurrection there is no salvation, no forgiveness, no hope, no heaven. You cannot pull the resurrection out of the structure of Christianity without it collapsing completely.

[ John MacArthur ]

Transcript:
https://www.gty.org/library/sermons-library/81-20

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“He is Risen Indeed”

The Apostle Paul tells us that if Jesus is not risen from the dead, our faith is in vain. Yet, many professing Christians deny the physical resurrection of Christ. In this message, Dr. Ravi Zacharias will give a defense of the bodily resurrection of Jesus against modernist skeptics inside and outside the church and against postmoderns who don’t think it matters. He will explain that if Jesus is risen, nothing else matters, and that if Jesus is not risen, nothing else matters.

[ Ravi Zacharias ]

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“The Resurrection of Jesus Christ: The Main Event in Redemptive History”

More Resources:
https://www.gty.org/library/sermons-library/90-374

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“The Son Rose”

With powerful music and images, this Easter mini-movie will provide an emotional introduction to your Easter worship service or Easter sermon celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The video begins by reminding us of the sufferings of Jesus before and during His crucifixion on Good Friday. Then, it climaxes with a celebration of Jesus’ resurrection on Easter Sunday at sunrise.

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“Easter Intro Video”

Video intro for the beginning of the 2016 Easter Service (featuring audio from Billy Graham).

[ Freedom Bible Church ]

CLICK LINK TO VIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6u6f3NAps5s

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“Alive”

This is a time of celebration. A time to worship the One who conquered sin and death, defeated the grave and reconciled us to God. Easter is about Jesus, our King, our Savior…our Redeemer.

[ Freebridge Media ]

CLICK LINK TO VIEW: https://www.sermonspice.com/product/77481/alive-an-easter-call-to-worship

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“He Is Risen”

Jesus Christ is risen! Everything has changed and a new life from death is possible!

CLICK LINK TO VIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ITZ1kNfT5SY

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“Resurrection Worship”

With powerful music and graphics, this intense Easter worship intro illustrates Jesus’ suffering of the cross and His death on Good Friday. But, that’s not the end of the story. The climax of the video exclaims the amazing resurrection of Christ.

[ Hyper Pixels Media ]

CLICK LINK TO VIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T07qMtaElR8

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“Jesus The Easter Sunday Resurrection”

God was crucified but on the third day He rose back to life

CLICK LINK TO VIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smUHqg3npAE

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“He Arose”

Experience the moments leading up to Jesus’ crucifixion in a new way that makes the Easter story, frozen in time, more real today.

CLICK LINK TO VIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XbS-34SIHCA

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“What If Christ Didn’t Rise?”

In recent months, of course, we have all been subject to the emphasis on the Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ, and a fitting emphasis it is. We are grateful for those who have turned their attention toward the suffering and the death of the Lord Jesus Christ, as the One who bore in His own body our sins on the cross. But it seems to me a…a somewhat obvious reality that consideration for the resurrection is not even a footnote in all of these discussions. At least in the public sector. Even in the film, The Passion of the Christ, the resurrection came and went in just a matter of moments. It was there, and I was glad for that, but it certainly was but a footnote after and agonizingly long time of focus upon His suffering… [more].

[ John MacArthur ]

https://www.gty.org/library/sermons-library/80-284/what-if-christ-didnt-rise

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“RISEN” (Movie Trailer)

Witness one of the most important events in human history through the eyes of a nonbeliever. Risen is a depiction of events surrounding Christ’s missing body after his crucifixion. In theaters now!

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“He Is Risen”

Jesus Christ is Risen
Video – Various clips from movie (Risen)
Song – TrapCity – Make Me (Ricky Remedy)

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“3 Reasons the Resurrection Matters”

Someone has said, “Christianity stands or falls on the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. Disprove it and you have disposed of Christianity forever.” Why is an empty tomb the foundation of the Christian faith? We will explore three reasons the resurrection matters.

Matthew 28:1-8

[ Robert Jeffress ]

CLICK LINK TO VIEW: https://vimeo.com/213688890

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“Risen Easter Pack”

From the Triumphal Entry to his post-Resurrection appearances, you will discover aspects you’ve never studied regarding how Jesus was in control of every detail, including the precise timing of these events proclaimed centuries by Old Testament prophets. An excellent gift! Perfect for personal or group study.

Join Tim Chaffey and Eric Hovind on this book and DVD series pack as they explore the most important events in history – Christ’s Crucifixion and Resurrection.

Two powerful events changed the world, and it is those two events that change lives for all eternity! Join Tim Chaffey and Eric Hovind on this six DVD series as they explore the most important events in history—Christ’s Crucifixion and Resurrection.

Without the Resurrection, there is no hope. Discover the history behind the Resurrection and why everything hinges on the Resurrection of Jesus Christ!

[ Answers in Genesis ]

https://answersingenesis.org/store/product/risen-easter-pack/?sku=90-7-776

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“The Essence of Easter”:
CLICK LINK TO VIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z70J5Mvt6eQ

“The Essence of Saving Faith”:
CLICK LINK TO VIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5aNWrIGcjfE

“The Resurrection Matters”:
CLICK LINK TO VIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zv5K3q6Shrs

[ Alistair Begg ]

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“How Can We Be Sure That The Resurrection Happened?”

Real Truth. Real Quick.: This week we answer the question “How Can We Be Sure That The Resurrection Happened?”

CLICK LINK TO VIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kw4bEW0m8SM

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“He Is Not Here: The Significance of the Empty Tomb”

[ Alistair Begg ]

CLICK LINK TO VIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=87lY7fFs6ns

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“Why is the Resurrection of Jesus Christ important? | What does the Resurrection Mean?”

Jesus is risen, but why is the resurrection of Jesus Christ important? What does the resurrection mean? “I am the resurrection and the life” ( John 11:25 ), those words spoken by Jesus are a clear reference to the resurrection in the Bible, and in this video Pastor Nelson with Bible Munch looks at that resurrection passage and others to answer why the resurrection is important.

[ Got Questions ]

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“Why should I believe in Christ’s resurrection?”
https://www.gotquestions.org/why-believe-resurrection.html

“What is the importance of the empty tomb?”
https://www.gotquestions.org/empty-tomb.html

“Is the resurrection of Jesus Christ true?”
https://www.gotquestions.org/was-Jesus-resurrected.html

“Why is the resurrection of Jesus Christ important?”
https://www.gotquestions.org/resurrection-Christ-important.html

[ Got Questions ]

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“He Is Risen”

[ Alistair Begg ]

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“The Resurrection”

[ Alistair Begg ]

CLICK LINK TO VIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W02wzBNQ584

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“What If It’s True?”

Eyewitness testimonies, the empty tomb, the striking change in the disciples … the New Testament provides fact-based evidence that Jesus rose from the dead. In this message, Alistair Begg encourages us to a thoughtful consideration of this central Christian truth, emphasizing the need to trust in Christ for our salvation. Through His Word, Jesus calls each one to faith in the Gospel, and those who believe are called to share His story with a broken world.

[ Alistair Begg ]

CLICK LINK TO VIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcXSLCRaIWg

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“What Now?”

[ Alistair Begg ]

The Resurrection – Part 1 of 4:
Many skeptics demand physical proof of the resurrection of Jesus. But on Truth For Life, Alistair Begg argues that the existence of the Church is evidence in and of itself. Discover why when you join us for the first message in our series titled What Now?
CLICK LINK TO VIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_HpuQOg-f8

The Resurrection – Part 2 of 4:
Throughout history, the empty tomb of Jesus has been treated like the subject of a mystery novel or a crime show drama. But on Truth For Life, Alistair Begg explains why we don’t have to wonder about the events of Easter Sunday.
CLICK LINK TO VIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQ164ezXoFk

The Resurrection – Part 3 of 4:
Detectives know that when two eyewitness accounts are nearly identical, it’s likely that they were fabricated. But on Truth For Life, Alistair Begg argues that when it comes to the eyewitness accounts of the resurrection of Jesus, that’s not the case.
CLICK LINK TO VIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYj03M5Ukl4

The Resurrection – Part 4 of 4:
When Jesus died and was buried, His disciples thought that was the end of the story. But on Truth For Life, Alistair Begg describes why the cross was only the beginning.
CLICK LINK TO VIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJ07kNWlWow

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“The Evidence for Jesus’s Resurrection”

William Lane Craig sets out historical and Biblical evidence that leads to the conclusion that Jesus Christ rose from the dead. Audience Q&A follows the main presentation.

[ William Lane Craig ]

CLICK LINK TO VIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4iyxR8uE9GQ

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“The Resurrection Of Jesus”

Easter 2016 Sermon. Three radical implications of the Resurrection for you.

[ David Jeremiah ]

CLICK LINK TO VIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zw4rsW2ONoY

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“The Resurrection”

Easter 2018 Sermon.

[ David Jeremiah ]

CLICK LINK TO VIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MW-H5udX-p8

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“Jesus” (Movie)

Jesus is a 1999 biblical historical drama television film that retells the historical events of Jesus Christ. It was shot in Morocco and Malta.

This is the Resurrection scene.

[ Director: Robert Young ]

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“Gospel of John” (Movie)

Jesus’ resurrection and appearances in the Gospel of John. Jesus appears to Mary Magdalene, the 11 disciples in the upper room, doubting Thomas and to the disciples by the lake of Galilee.

[ Director: Philip Saville ]

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“Gospel of the Resurrection”

Dr. Walter Martin, author of “Kingdom of the Cults” teaches us.

[ Dr. Walter Martin ]

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“The Shroud of Turin, Could it be Real?”

Incredible slides and inside information regarding a most controversial subject – Jesus’ purported burial cloth from the Empty Tomb.

[ Gary Habermas ]

CLICK LINK TO VIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rEg7kpo6WY0

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“A Very Special Easter”

Crayon drawings animate real-life responses from children as they talk about Easter. Their unfiltered and heartfelt responses bring humor and depth to the subject. Only a child could mix the silly and the sacred to so powerfully illustrate what makes the story of Jesus and how we celebrate it so special.

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“Foolishness to the Greeks: Preaching the Resurrection Today”

[ Michael Horton ]

CLICK LINK TO VIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2cETT5CxWg

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“Foolishness to the Greeks”

Anti-intellectualism is not the only danger Christians face. Those who seek to reclaim the Christian mind face the opposite danger—allowing a desire to please God to mutate into pride and a vain desire for worldly respect. In this message, Dr. Steven Lawson explains how we must walk a fine line and never accommodate the gospel in an attempt to please the cultured despisers of Christianity. We have already seen the sad results of a previous attempt to do this in the nineteenth century.

[ Steven Lawson ]

CLICK LINK TO VIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMla-vGMM14

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“This Worlds Wisdom Made Foolish”

The difference between the wisdom of God and that of the world; man’s idea of glory; glory revealed in the birth of Christ; the Light of the world.

John 1:16 Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given.

[ Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones ]

CLICK LINK TO VIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZIKYcbvZIM

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“Jesus Back From the Dead? April Fools!” Karl Faase Challenges Atheist Taunts”

In a Facebook video, Christian leader Karl Faase has answered the atheist taunt that Jesus’ resurrection is one big April Fools’ joke.

The video was prompted by the atheists and sceptics making fun of the fact that Easter Sunday falls on April 1 this year. Their argument goes that April Fool’s Day is a celebration of gullibility, pranks and lies, which highlights the foolishness of Christians who believe Jesus rose from the dead.

[ Karl Faase ]
https://hope1032.com.au/stories/faith/2018/jesus-came-back-dead-april-fools-karl-faase-challenges-atheist-taunts/

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“Absent for Easter”

“A long-time friend of my husband’s paid us a visit over the Easter weekend. Growing up together, life had taken them both in very different directions. I enjoyed listening to their reminiscing about childhood events they had shared together. When the conversation turned to Easter Sunday festivities, a solo-hiking trip was planned even as his family would be elsewhere. How strange, it seemed to me for him to be absent from them on Easter. But as he talked I realized that Easter Sunday was like any other Sunday. There was no recognition of the day or of its significance for Christians around the world.” [ more ]

[ Margaret Manning ]

http://rzim.org/a-slice-of-infinity/absent-for-easter/

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“Easter in Academia”

“Lock atheist philosophers who do not specialize in religion in a room with theist philosophers who do specialize in religion (well, don’t really, but if you did), and if you listened to the ensuing debates, you “would have to conclude that the theists definitely had the upper hand in every single argument or debate.”(1)

Those are not my words but the words of an atheist. And not just any atheist, an atheist who is a respected professional philosopher with 12 books and over 140 articles to his name…” [ more ]

[ Vince Vitale ]

http://rzim.org/a-slice-of-infinity/easter-in-academia-2/

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“We Believe in the Resurrection”

“Though there are no doubt those among us who would not believe on any amount of evidence that something so unusual as the resurrection could happen, there are countless others who are asking perceptive questions: What happened on that first Easter morning? Why would the disciples go to their deaths making such an outrageous claim? And why does the rise of Christianity remain a challenge unanswered?” [ more ].

[ Jill Carattini ]

http://rzim.org/a-slice-of-infinity/we-believe-in-the-resurrection/

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“Implementing Easter”

“… The Christian worldview is one that recognizes at the deepest level that something about humanity is not temporal. Easter, in fact, is the celebration that this is not just a suspicion, but a reality. Christians believe in eternal dwellings, a day when tears will be no more, and in one who is preparing a house of rooms and welcome.(4) And yet, we also very much live with the distinct experience of these promises within time. Christ is not merely the one who will be with us in all eternity, the one who will dry our eyes at time’s end. Christians believe he is also alive and among us today, welcoming a kingdom that is both present and approaching. “Remember, I am with you always,” ends one of account of the life of Jesus, “even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). For the Christian, all of time is filled with the hope of resurrection, even as it is filled with Christ himself…” [ more ].

[ Jill Carattini ]

http://rzim.org/a-slice-of-infinity/implementing-easter-2/

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“Christ the Lord is Risen Today”

Christ the Lord is risen today Alleluia
Sons of men and angels say Alleluia
Raise your joys and triumphs high Alleluia
Sing ye heavens and earth reply Alleluia

Lives again our glorious king Alleluia
Where o death is now thy sting Alleluia
Dying once He all doth save Alleluia
Where thy victory oh grave Alleluia

Alleluia Alleluia Alleluia

Love’s redeeming work is done Alleluia
Fought the fight the battle won Alleluia
Death in vain forbids him rise Alleluia
Christ has opened paradise Alleluia

Alleluia Alleluia Alleluia

Soar we now where Christ has led Alleluia
Following our exalted head Alleluia
Made like Him like Him we rise
Ours the cross, the grave, the skies Alleluia

Alleluia Alleluia Alleluia

[ more of Wesley’s lyrics ]…

Hail the Lord of earth and heaven, Alleluia!
Praise to Thee by both be given, Alleluia!
Thee we greet triumphant now, Alleluia!
Hail the Resurrection, thou, Alleluia!

King of glory, Soul of bliss, Alleluia!
Everlasting life is this, Alleluia!
Thee to know, Thy pow’r to prove, Alleluia!
Thus to sing, and thus to love, Alleluia!

[ Written by Charles Wesley; Performed by “Hymn Charts” (Don Chapman) ]

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“Forever”

The moon and stars they wept
The morning sun was dead
The Savior of the world was fallen
His body on the cross
His blood poured out for us
The weight of every curse upon him

One final breath He gave
As Heaven looked away
The Son of God was laid in darkness
A battle in the grave
The war on death was waged
The power of hell forever broken

The ground began to shake
The stone was rolled away
His perfect love could not be overcome
Now death where is your sting
Our resurrected King has rendered you defeated

Forever, He is glorified
Forever, He is lifted high
Forever, He is risen
He is alive
He is alive

The ground began to shake
The stone was rolled away
His perfect love could not be overcome
Now death where is your sting
Our resurrected King has rendered you defeated

Forever, He is glorified
Forever, He is lifted high
Forever, He is risen
He is alive
He is alive
Forever, forever

You have overcome
Your resurrected King
You have overcome the grave
You have overcome

We sing Hallelujah
We sing Hallelujah
We sing Hallelujah
The Lamb has overcome

Forever, He is glorified
Forever, He is lifted high
Forever, He is risen
He is alive
He is alive (Forever)

Forever, He is glorified
Forever, He is lifted high
Forever, He is risen
He is alive
He is alive

[ Kari Jobe ]

*****************************
“He Is Risen”

Early morning break of dawn
Stumbling to the tomb
Standing awestruck wondering who
Rolled away the stone
And as the sun came up
Amazed they looked inside
A voice, an angel clothed in light
Don’t be afraid, He is alive!

He is risen
Hallelujah, hallelujah
Christ is risen
Let the whole world sing
Christ is risen
Christ is risen from the dead

Sing, with all creation sing
Of a world made new
In His life we too may live
Bursting from the tomb
And looking up we see
Our King enthroned on high
His wounds of love now glorified
Rejoice, for soon He’ll burst the skies

[ Paul Baloche ]

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“He Lives”

From heaven to earth our Savior came
For us on a cross, He bled and died
And from the cross to an empty grave
He rose to life, He rose to life
He lives reigning in power
He lives, name above all names
Hallelujah now forever
Hallelujah Christ is risen!
All glory to Him upon the throne
Forever exalted and seated high
The Lamb of God He has overcome!
He is alive, He is alive!
He lives reigning in power
He lives, name above all names
Hallelujah now forever
Hallelujah Christ is risen!
He is risen
And on that day with Him I’ll rise
For Christ He lives in me
This life I life no longer mine
For Christ He lives in me
And on that day with Him I’ll rise
For Christ He lives in me
This life I life no longer mine
For Christ He lives in me
He lives reigning in power
He lives, name above all names
Hallelujah now forever
Hallelujah Christ is risen
He lives reigning in power
He lives, name above all names
Hallelujah now forever
Hallelujah Christ is risen

[ Chris Tomlin ]

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“Resurrection Power”

You called me from the grave by name
You called me out of all my shame
I see the old has passed away
The new has come

Now I have resurrection power
Living on the inside
Jesus, You have given us freedom
No longer bound by sin and darkness
Living in the light of Your goodness
You have given us freedom

I’m dressed in Your royalty
Your holy spirit lives in me
I see my past has been redeemed
The new has come

Freedom
You have given us freedom
You have given us freedom
My chains are gone

Freedom
You have given us freedom
You have given us freedom
Hallelujah

Now I have resurrection power
Living on the inside
And I’m no longer bound by sin and darkness
Living in the light of Your goodness
You have given us freedom

I have resurrection power
Living on the inside
Living on the inside
No longer bound by sin and darkness
You have given us freedom
You have given us freedom

[ Chris Tomlin ]

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“Doubter”
(Parody of “Daughter” by Pearl Jam)

An old Christian
Gets mislabeled as a doubter, but did you know
He suffered – violence
Went around the world for missions, but
Thomas briefly doubted
Christ was resurrected
Christ forgave his … doubts
His name goes down in history
Tainted, though
Yet he died a martyr, so

Don’t call me doubter – not fair to
The scripture text will remind me
Don’t call me doubter – not fair to
That’s in the past and behind me
Don’t call me

He rose again — they alllllll had doubts
They would – rise above
Woooo oooh

Don’t call me doubter – not fair to
The scripture text will remind me
Don’t call me doubter – not fair to me
That’s in the past and behind me
Don’t call me doubter – not fair to
The scripture text will remind me
Just call me martyr – I dared to preach
To skeptics — that killed me finally
Don’t call me

His name goes down
His name goes down
His name goes … goes
Goes

[ ApologetiX – “Only a Glorified Cover Band” album ]

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“Scars”
(Parody of “Cars” by Gary Numan)

Here are My scars – I came straight through the wall
You can lock all the doors – but you’ll only believe with scars Here are My scars – Isaiah 53
It predicted for you – the way I’d pay for your lives with scars

Here are My scars – well, there isn’t a doubt
That I’m risen indeed– if I show you My four nail scars
Here are My scars – I know you’re starting to think
About believing in Christ – you know, nothing heals like these scars

[ ApologetiX – “Eastern Standard Time” album ]

*****************************
“Another One Died For Us”
(Parody of “Another One Bites the Dust” by Queen)

Ooh … let’s go!
We’ve got a story from Galilee
With a twist you may not know
Ain’t no doubt that it sounds like a dream
But we know that it was so
Not a legend, hey
Not a radical myth
Not a hand-me-down religious belief
I’ve got a story if you’ll just listen
I won’t have to repeat
Yeah!

Another one died for us
Another one died for us
There was none to get it done
So the Father sent his Son
Another died for us! Hey!
Hey, you’re gonna get the truth
Another one died for us

There was a king, you know, He came along
2,000 years ago
He gave up everything that He had
And left His heavenly throne
They were happy – when He finally died
They thought He was clearly beat
Now, it’s the third day, the King is risen
And we’re out on the street
Look out!

Another one died for us
Another one died for us
There was none to get it done
So the Father sent his Son
Another one died for us
Hey, all you destitute
Another one died for us

LEAD

Hey!

Oh, preach it!
Dyin’ for us!
I was adopted!

Hey!

Another one died for us
Another one died for us — Ow!
Another one died for us — Hey, hey)
Another one died for us
Ay-ay-ay-ay-ay-ay-ay-ay-ay
Ooh no doubt

Gimme three days, and I’ll return again
The king said to the crowd
I’ll be beaten and mistreated but I’m cheatin’ death
I’ll be back safe and sound, yeah
Well, Christ said it – and it really came true
I’m standin’ on my own belief
Out of the Lord’s way! The King is risen!
We need to get it out on the street – ohhh yeah!

Another one died for us
Another one died for us
There was none to get it done
So the Father sent his Son
Another died for us! Yeah!
Hey, gonna get the truth
Another one died for us
No doubt!
Ay, hey, hey
Allllright!

[ ApologetiX – “Unconditional Releases” album ]

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“You May Be Bright”
(Parody of “You May Be Right” by Billy Joel)

Friday Christ had just departed
Saturday Christ’s grave was guarded
Sunday came and Christ came out again
And the stone they had in front was a sturdy heavy one That they all were much too weak to roll away
Now the men they had to guard that stone
Were top defensive guys from Rome
Even though Christ’s own disciples were afraid
But the stone was knocked aside and He made it out alive So you said they only moved Him from His grave
You may be bright – I say you’re crazy
Hey, but you just may need illuminated a little more
Turn on the light – it’s kinda shady
My faith is strong because I know the way He died Remember how they crowned Him there
‘Cause Rome had no electric chair
They slowly tortured folks until they died
Yeah, the Romans scourged Him and
They said “Take this cross and stand
Cause we’d like you, Boy, to drag this for a while”
Then on top of all the things they’d tried, when
Christ was done they crucified Him
Someone’s spear went straight through at His waist
But you say the Man just swooned
And they all were just confused
And He really was just in a coma state
You may be bright – I say you’re crazy
Hey, but it just may be excuses that you’re lookin’ for
If you hate the light – It’s too late to save ya
My faith is strong because I know the way He died
You may be bright – I say you’re crazy
Hey, but I just can’t be the humanist you’re lookin’ for Throw out the lies – don’t try to phase me
You say we’re wrong because I know you hate the light

[ ApologetiX – “Eastern Standard Time” album ]

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“Back Intact”
(Parody of “Back in Black” by AC/DC)

Back intact, yes, it’s a fact
And not a bone was fractured or cracked
Yes, sir, spread the news, it’s Gospel truth
Nail-scarred feet, hands are the proof
And a spear went in My side, come and check with your eyes
I kept the scars, now I’ll never die, I got Son-rised, baptized Keepin’ every bone like David prophesied
‘Cause I’m back, yes, I’m back, well, I’m back, yes, I’m back Well, I’m ba-a-a-ack, ba-a-a-ack
Well, I’m back intact, yes, I’m back intact
Oh, back as a man, I’m alive again
Not a ghost, I can prove I’m not a charlatan
Yes, I’m in the flesh, here’s a test
You guys can watch Me eat a couple of fish
‘Cause I’m back off the rack, where I was beaten and smacked Nobody’s gonna get me now I’m over that
Take a look at the Psalms; they predicted my fate
Psalm 34, verse 20, said I’ll never break
‘Cause I’m back, yes, I’m back, well, I’m back, yes, I’m back Well, I’m ba-a-a-ack, ba-a-a-ack
Well, I’m back intact, yes, I’m back intact
Out of the black!

[ ApologetiX – “New and Used Hits” album ]

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“Huge Slumber Party”
(Parody of Use Somebody” by Kings of Leon)

All the Romans around now are lookin’ down they’re all asleep And the place where He was laid has rolled up sheets
You know it’s like a huge slumber party
You know it’s like a huge slumber party
Someone has moved that old huge stone but how could this be ‘Cause it must have weighed a ton and all could see
You know it’s hard to lose someone’s body
You know it’s hard to lose someone’s body
Someone broke through
All through the night while the eleven of us went off to weep He waited for the break of morn without a peep
I hope it was a breakthrough moment
I know it was a breakthrough moment
Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah
Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah
All the Romans around now are lookin’ down they’re all asleep

[ ApologetiX – “Eastern Standard Time” album ]

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“Cemetery Came Alive”
(Parody of “Semi-Charmed Life” by Third Eye Blind)

He’s back and I’m hopin’ you’ll find Him
He’s livin’, He’s comin’, He lives for me
Says that we should teach the nations about His salvation
Jesus died and He rose – I believe
And it makes me smile, hope it does for you
To 27 Matthew come and we’ll review
Jesus died and then the earth moved
Temple curtain was ripped and then divided in two
When it seemed as though things were gonna get worse
Brothers came alive that belonged in a hearse
There’s a lot of people in their graves
Who came out and they was raised, I said
That was something else – When every Jewish cemetery came alive, baby, baby That was something else – And now Christians ain’t afraid … to die
Do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do
He died and rose, listen folks – You should take a tip from a dude who knows And I wish I could get back there someplace after
Violently the earth began to shake
Soon the curse of death was lifted off us in its wake
It broke rocks – The folks in town where in shock
When the stiffs that had risen went out for a walk
‘Cause when they jumped up they took a trip around the city
And went up to men and then went up to Heaven and
Now we’ll all go back there too
The place with all those who sleep in Christ who
Followed our Savior up unto – The place where He went
CHORUS
I believe that the man named Jesus rose
I preach ‘cause it’s real and not just a feeling
I believe and my faith it grows – And before I close, you may be bright
But when it’s the truth, it’s real
And I could die and I would be all right, all right
And when complaints come in from anyone nasty
Who tell us that it’s just an idiot myth on the verge of being a lie
Now I shrug ‘cause truth survives though they choose to carry out jealous threats Scornin’ Jesus and bustin’ heads – That little-read passage in Matthew says That up around the bend we’ll break out of our caskets
Sprung – not as zombies or as ghost men
But as something that’s more than human forevermore
If I get buried underground – Not scared, I’m not goin’ down – oh, no
My Lord’s runnin’ my life
He’s got my tombstone knocked down with a smile and I will be all right, all right That was something else when He gave you His life, baby
That was something else and now Christians ain’t afraid … to die
To die, to die, to die!
He died and rose, listen folks – You should take a tip from a dude who knows
In the twenty-seventh chapter – The Gospel of Matthew
Is the place where you should start

[ ApologetiX – “Hot Potato Soup” album ]

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“Magdalena”
(Parody of “Macarena” by Los Del Rio)

If by chance they call me Magdalena
It’s because of the place from where I came-a
I’m called Mary, I’m one of many
So I’ll tell you the place to find me
Mark 16, John 20
And Magdala’s the name of my city
Mark 16, John 20
And Magdala’s the name of my city

All the apostles said, We hear you, Magdalena
You’re the first to see Christ
Since the day he passed away now
How are we s’posed to believe in what you say now?
Hey, Magdalena!
REPEAT

Now don’t you worry about the Lord, friends
Although He seemed to be finito
Hah! I know one thing, He’s still standing
It does no good to cry – – LAUGHTER
Now c’mon!
What was I supposed to do?
He was out of the tomb
And his true friends were still crying!
CHORUS

I’ll remind you, my name is Magdalena
I was exorcised of seven demons but I’m free now
Christ saved me, and delivered me
And so I felt I should support His ministry
CHORUS

[ ApologetiX – “Easter Standard Time” album ]

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“Died and Rose”
(Parody of “China Grove” by The Doobie Brothers)

When the Son come down He was deep within the ground Surrounded by a giant stone
And it’s no surprise that on the Sabbath day
All His pals stayed home
But things were all about to change
And they never were the same
Well, we’re talkin’ cause He died and rose
Lord, died and rose!
Well, their leader, Simon Peter, and John the Apostle
They took a walk to the tomb
And the Gospel came alive when they arrived
And they found an empty room
But they had forgotten His claim
That He’d resurface again
Well, we’re talkin’ ‘cause He died and rose
Lord, died and rose!
Then He came when the group met Sunday
They’d locked the doors and shut the room
But standin’ right among them was the man they called Lord You just should have seen the look in their eyes!
But Thomas would doubt it for eight more days
Till Jesus came when he was there
He just took one look and he believed!
LEAD

[ ApologetiX – “Eastern Standard Time” album ]

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“Tom Saw Ya”
(Parody of “Semi-Charmed Life” by Third Eye Blind)

On Monday he wouldn’t trust we’d seen Christ Today Tom saw Your spear-pierced side Though his mind was not convinced
He couldn’t doubt the evidence
He observed Your side and hands
Finding out the way we did, You’re risen!
What You prayed about has come to be
It’s what King David said in Psalm 16
Christ is risen; that’s no myth
Just a mystery that’s legit
The world says, the world says
Love and life are cheap
Maybe now the price will rise
Today Tom saw Ya, he set eyes on You
And the face he just made – it was quite a view Thomas tried to talk and yet
“My Lord and God” was all he said
All he hoped for had just commenced
He knows graves are not permanent – but grace is! And One You say’s about to comfort me
Though some will say we lack sobriety:
That’s the witness, that’s the gift
That’s the Spirit, class dismissed
The world is, the world is lost and like a sheep They that have the Christ are wise
Exit the Lord and yet today Tom saw Ya
He set eyes on You and he’ll never be the same He’ll get right onto the mission of the faith

[ ApologetiX – “Grace Period” album ]

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“One Headline”
(Parody of “One Headlight” by The Walflowers)

So long ago I don’t remember when
That’s when He said “You must be born again”
But since He died Jesus hasn’t spoken much to me
My visit to this cemetery’s bleak
He said the Son’s comin’ back when the funeral is done
I’ve long hoped He’d somehow pull it off
The stone it’s been rolled away and all we have’s an empty grave
I wonder if He hung around this place
Hey-ey-ey

Come on try to listen — You can get forgiven
This Gospel means something better than just religion
But we have seen the savior — put it all the papers
We can drive it home
With one headline

She said He told me to get His friends and say
The Man they put faith in has been raised
So there’s got to be a hope that He
Could somehow He even pardon me
Through His amazing holiness and grace
I see the Son up ahead as those doubts of mine fade
Says all is good, there’s nothing left to dread
I run and tell the other friends
The Man they killed is not still dead
But in the end there’s just three words I said
Hey-ey-ey

Come on try to listen — You can get forgiven
This Gospel means something better than just religion
But me, I’ve seen the savior — put it all the papers
We can drive it home
With one headline

My faith is bold
Still they might just beat us up
They heard the message but the lesson wasn’t learned
We tell them Jesus Christ is resurrected
They just all act circumspect
Sometimes I think they’d like to watch us burn
I’ve seen it all
And He’s just like nobody else
Man, I’ve been changed, and I’ll never be the same
And some will hear instantly
But in this drama’s final scene
I think the skeptics might be killing me
Hey, hey, hey-ey-ey-ey-ey

Come on try to listen — You can get forgiven
This Gospel means something better than just religion
But we have seen the savior — put it all the papers
We can drive it home
With one headline

[ ApologetiX – “Eastern Standard Time” album ]

*****************************
*****************************

DEEP THOUGHTS:

“Sitting there I was reminded that in Heaven I will be free to jump up, dance, kick, and do aerobics. And some time before the guests are called to the banquet table at the wedding feast of the Lamb, the first thing I plan to do on Resurrection legs, is to drop on grateful glorified knees and quietly kneel at the feet of Jesus. I with shriveled, bent fingers, atrophied muscles, gnarled knees, and no feeling from my shoulders down, will one day have a new body—light bright and clothed in righteousness powerful and dazzling. Can you imagine the hope that the resurrection gives somebody who is spinal cord injured like me.”
[ Joni Erickson Tada ]

“The benefits [of the resurrection] are innumerable. To list a few: Our illnesses don’t seem nearly so final; Our fears fade and lose their grip; Our grief over those who have gone on is diminished; Our desires to press on in spite of the obstacles is rejuvenated… Our identity as Christians is strengthened as we stand in the lengthening shadows of saints down through the centuries, who have always answered back in antiphonal voice: ‘He is risen, indeed!’”
[ Charles Swindoll ]

“The devil, darkness, and death may swagger and boast, the pangs of life will sting for a while longer, but don’t worry; the forces of evil are breathing their last. Not to worry…He’s risen!”
[ Charles Swindoll ]

“To be “in Christ” is to place one’s trust in Him for salvation from sin. To be “in Christ” is to trust His goodness, not our own; to trust that His sacrificial death on the cross paid the complete debt of death we owe for our sin; to trust that His resurrection gives us eternal life instead of relying upon our own ability to please God. To be “in Christ” is to claim, by faith, the free gift of salvation. To be “in Christ” is to enjoy a completely restored relationship with our Father in heaven by virtue of His Son’s righteous standing.”
[ Charles Swindoll ]

“By His life, death, and resurrection, our Savior has conquered our enemies, and by His Spirit He has granted us to share in the victory.”
[ R.C. Sproul ]

“The resurrection was God the Father’s way of authenticating all of the truths that were declared by Jesus.”
[ R.C. Sproul ]

“A Christian is not a skeptic. A Christian is a person with a burning heart, a heart set aflame with certainty of the resurrection.”
[ R.C. Sproul ]

“Wise men speak because they have something to say; Fools because they have to say something.”
[ Plato ]

“A quick summary of the Christian “Gospel”:
JESUS’ PROPITIATION made our SINS FORGIVEN and IMPUTED RIGHTEOUSNESS to us so that we have GOD’S ACCEPTANCE into His Heaven and ETERNAL LIFE.”
[ Mark Besh ]

RELATED BIBLE VERSES:

“The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds, there is none who does good.”
[ Psalm 14:1 ]

“You blind fools! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that has made the gold sacred?”
[ Matthew 23:17 ]

“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.”
[ James 1:5 ]

“O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified.”
[ Galatians 3:1 ]

“Like a madman who throws firebrands, arrows, and death is the man who deceives his neighbor and says, “I am only joking!”
[ Proverbs 26:18-19 ]

“And he told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man produced plentifully, and he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’ And he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.’ But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’”
[ Luke 12:16-21 ]

“Fools have no interest in understanding; they only want to air their own opinions. Doing wrong leads to disgrace, and scandalous behavior brings contempt.”
[ Proverbs 18:2-3 ]

“The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise.”
[ Proverbs 12:15 ]

“Spouting off before listening to the facts is both shameful and foolish.”
[ Proverbs 18:13 ]

“There is more hope for a fool than for someone who speaks without thinking.”
[ Proverbs 29:20 ]

“As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his foolishness.”
[ Proverbs 26:11 ]

“Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you yourself will be just like him. Answer a fool according to his folly, or he will be wise in his own eyes.”
[ Proverbs 26:4-5 ]

“For the choir director: A psalm of David. Only fools say in their hearts, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, and their actions are evil; not one of them does good!”
[ Psalm 14:1 ]

“The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, doing abominable iniquity; there is none who does good.”
[ Psalm 53:1 1 ]

“But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.”
[ Matthew 5:22 ]

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April Fool’s Day Messages on Church Signs:

– “A prank played that harms someone makes you a foolish one.”
– “One Day to fool your friend, fool your sister too!”
– “One Day a Holiday the fools come out to play.”
– “April Fools’ Day should be a drunkard’s holiday.”
– “A day for foolish play… April Fools’ Day.”
– “Embracing one’s sin is a fool’s errand.”
– “The one who calls Christ the fool is a fool indeed.”
– “April Fool’s is not a day to excuse your foolish ways.”
– “Don’t be a fool, accept Jesus today.”
– “Foolish is as a drunkard does.”
– “They who called Christ a fool now live in Hell.”
– “Jesus or Satan – Whose fool are you?”
– “Too much knowledge becomes the fool’s joke.”
– “Fool 4 Jesus or Satan’s fool ? Your choice.”
– “Agnostics are fools on a fence.”
– “Standing before God on judgment day, you may learn, the joke’s on you!”
– “The fool will be proved at Hell’s gates.”
– “Selfishness is a fool’s errand.”
– “Fool is me when the tricks on me.”
– “April 1st to cast a joke, may it not be a fool’s last day.”
– “The fool’s pride will cause his fall.”
– “Be a fool 4 Jesus or be foolish.”
– “Don’t believe in God ? Satan fooled you this day!”
– “Joke’s on Satan! Jesus Lives!”
– “Joke’s on you! Jesus Lives!”
– “At your death, will you be the fool?”
– “Jesus fooled Satan, having risen from the grave!”
– “Eternal Life . . . or the Joke’s on you!”
– “Play Satan for the fool. Get saved!”
– “Satan will play you… for the fool.”

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Hope you enjoyed some of these insights—share them with your friends and colleagues—so we can have a larger ‘pool’ to receive from, and more to share with! Also, remember to include your name as the “source,” if some of this wisdom is of your doing—I would like to give credit where credit is due!

Mark

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If you have a ‘neat’ story or some thoughts about an issue or current event that you would like me to try to respond to, I would be glad to give it a try…so, send them to me at: mbesh@comcast.net

Disclaimer: All the above jokes & inspirations are obtained from various sources and copyright are used when known. Other than our name and headers, we do not own the copyright to any of the materials sent to this list. We just want to spread the ministry of God’s love and cheerfulness throughout the world.

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