The Most Pivotal Moment In All History!

What was the most important event in all of history?  Various sources list the most pivotal events.  Most of the lists I have seen do not even mention Jesus.  One list gave the “100 Most Important Events in Human History.”  It mentioned the birth and death of Jesus as #16.  There was no mention of the resurrection.  One list ranked “The Spread of World Religions” in the 1^st to 7^th century CE” as #4 and grouped Christianity, Buddhism, and Islam, with no mention of Christ.

It would seem that the Life of Christ, which divided our Gregorian and Julian calendars as before Christ (BC) and after Christ (AD-anno domini – in the year of the Lord) for over 2000 years, would be a pivotal event.  But not so to secular historians.

But I  submit to you that the life and Resurrection of Jesus Christ is THE MOST PIVOTAL MOMENT in all History, other than the Creation by our one omnipotent, omniscient God.

What if Christ had not risen from the dead?  Paul emphatically answered that question.  “If Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.”  “If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.”  1 Corinthians 15:17, 19).

The cross of Jesus Christ is unquestionably essential in the gospel message.  Paul summarizes the gospel in three steps in 1 Corinthians 15:3-4.

1. Christ died for our sins.
2. He was buried.
3. He rose again on the third day.

Christ said, on the cross, “It is finished.” (John 19:30), thus signifying that He had completely paid the price for our sins.  Peter wrote, “We were not redeemed with corruptible things – – but with the precious blood of Christ.” (1 Peter 1:19-20).  Peter preached emphatically, “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” (Acts 4:10-12)

He is no longer confined to a crucifix!  Pilate verified that Jesus was already dead (Mark 15:43-46) and then allowed Joseph of Arimathaea to bury him.  At least Mary Magdalene and Mary, the mother of Joses (if not others as well), witnessed His burial.

He arose from the dead on Resurrection Day.  An angel announced it to Mary Magdalene and Mary, the mother of James and Salome.  (Mark 16:6)   Later, Mary Magdalene met Jesus face to face.  (John 20:11-18).  On that first day of the week, Jesus appeared and walked with two on the road to Emmaus.  (Luke 24).  Jesus met with ten apostles in John 20, and a week later to the eleven as Thomas joined them.  He met with at least seven apostles at the Sea of Tiberias for a fish fry and the recommissioning of Peter in John 21.  Over the 40 days before Jesus ascended into heaven, Jesus met privately with Peter and James and then appeared to 500 brethren at once.  Later, he appeared to Paul.  (1 Corinthians 15:5-8)

How did the early church present this glorious gospel to the lost?  The gospel message was always the same.  However, the presentation was different depending on whether the audience was Jewish or Gentile (non-Jewish).

To the Jews and in the Jewish synagogues, the preacher always demonstrated that Jesus was the long-awaited Messiah who died for mankind’s sins and rose again  (Acts 2:22-36; 3:12-26; 4:8-12; and Stephen’s entire message.  Acts 7:2-60). This pattern of evangelism carried through as Paul went to various cities and started first by presenting the gospel in the Jewish synagogues. (Acts 13:14; 14:1; 17:1-2; 18:4-5, 19:8).

But presenting the gospel to the Gentiles was different.  The most notable message given directly to the Gentiles is in Acts 17.  Paul was waiting for Silas and Timothy to meet him in Athens.  He noticed the multitude of idols all over the city.  One of the idols was inscribed “To the unknown god.”  Paul’s point of introduction to them was, “Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you.”  (Acts 17:23).

Then he presented God as the Creator (not like any graven idol), The Judge, and the ONE WHO HAD BEEN RAISED FROM THE DEAD!  The book of Acts doesn’t record Paul’s entire message, but we can be sure that Paul preached Christ to them as he always did in every place he ministered.  There was one man and one woman (both named), and others saved from his ministry there.  (Acts 17:34).

In Romans, the great doctrinal book of the New Testament, Paul carefully outlines the doctrine of salvation.  All (Jews and Gentiles alike) are sinners in need of a Savior.  (Romans 3:23).  No one is righteous or able to save himself.  We are saved by grace, through faith, not by any works we might perform.  (Romans chapters 3 and 4).  The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life.  (Romans 6:23).  Romans 4:25 declares that Jesus “was delivered for our offenses, and was raised again for our justification.” Jesus, as the Son of God, was giving His life in payment for our sins because He loved us.  He had declared that He would lay down His life for His sheep and then take up His life again in resurrection.  (John 10:17-18).  When Jesus rose from the dead, he was vindicated as the Son of God who could lay down his life and take it up again.

Paul states an indispensable part of the salvation message in Romans 10:9.  “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt BELIEVE IN THINE HEART THAT GOD HATH RAISED HIM FROM THE DEAD, THOU SHALT BE SAVED.” Belief in the literal, physical, bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead is essential for salvation.

His resurrection was for our justification (being declared righteous).  “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” (2 Corinthians 5:21).  It was proof that God the Father had accepted Jesus’ payment for our sin.  There would be no salvation if Jesus had not risen from the dead.  We might have the story of the cross, but Jesus would have been just another of the thousands executed by crucifixion by the Roman government in the first century.

Except for the Scriptures, Jesus’ crucifixion would not be outstanding in history.  But the fact that He rose from the dead is unique and the MOST EXTRAORDINARY EVENT IN ALL HISTORY.  There have been many political and religious figures who were martyred.  The founders of all religions died, were buried, and stayed dead and buried.  Their tombs remain today.  Only ONE rose from the dead, stayed alive, and lives forever.  His name is JESUS!

If Paul had emphasized the death or even crucifixion, his pagan audiences might have responded with the comment or attitude, “So what?”  But telling the pagans that Jesus rose from the dead got their attention.  That is why the philosophers at Athens said, “What will this babbler say?  Other some, “He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods because he preached unto them Jesus, and the resurrection.” (Acts 17:18).

Some years ago, while witnessing, I was shocked when a young married woman told me she had never heard of the resurrection of Jesus!  She grew up in mid-America and married a Roman Catholic.  She knew about Jesus’ death on the cross.  But she had never heard of the resurrection.  She needed to hear all the gospel, which included the resurrection.

In the first century, the Jews were acquainted with Old Testament Jewish history and prophecy.  So, when witnessing or preaching to a Jewish audience, the apostles and all Christians started from that foundation.

But Gentiles had only a pagan history of idolatry.  The Creation by one eternal God, the Scriptures, the Messiah, the Crucifixion, and the Resurrection would all be new to them.  You have to start with what they know to give them an understanding of what they don’t know.  Paul started with the Athenian’s inscription to the unknown god.

The one fact distinguishing us and what we believe from all other religions is that we serve a risen Savior.  Christianity is not a religion but a relationship.  We are personally related to the Risen Lord when we trust Him as our Savior.

Do you know Him as your Savior?