Easter 2024: 180 Degrees. The Transformed Life.

Why do we celebrate Easter?  Jesus made it clear in John 14:19-20 when he said:

Soon the world will no longer see me, but you will see me. Since I live, you also will live.  (20)  When I am raised to life again, you will know that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.

The resurrection of the crucified and dead body of Jesus confirmed his claims to be God manifest in a human body. But there's more. You don't have to just take his word for it. There were many eyewitness accounts over a period of 40 days who also saw him alive. Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:1-8 gives a list of those who saw Jesus alive after his crucifixion and burial.

Here's his list:

1) Peter

2) The 12 apostles

3) More than 500 at one time

4) James

5) All the apostles

6) Paul

When it comes to eyewitnesses, their character and integrity play a significant influence in their believability. Key witnesses of the resurrection of Jesus were radically change by what they saw and it changed them 180 degrees. In other words, before the resurrection they were either skeptics or flat-out enemies of Jesus but once they saw the risen Savior they could no longer deny the truth.

James is a good example. He was the brother of Jesus. They shared the same mother. We learn in Mark 3:21 his family thought Jesus was crazy.

Mark 3:21 NLT  When his family heard what was happening, they tried to take him away. “He’s out of his mind,” they said.

For all the good and wonderful miracles Jesus performed his family could not get past his humanity. James had grown up in the same household as his older brother and his claim to be God was too much for him. But then James witnessed his death and resurrection. That was all the evidence he needed to change his mind from lunatic to Lord. James went on to become a major leader in the early church. His life took a 180 when he saw the risen Lord. For him, Jesus went from my brother, to my Lord!

Paul is another prime example of a life changed 180 by Jesus. Paul hated Jesus and anyone claiming to be a Christian. He was a religious leader and had the authority to imprison or authorize capital punishment for heretics of the Jewish faith. Paul is first mentioned in Acts 7 when he ordered Stephen to be stoned to death for his testimony for Jesus. In Acts 9 Paul is visited by the living Jesus and it turned him from a deadly enemy to the greatest among the apostles of Christ! He went from a Christian killer to a Christian preacher! Now that's a 180 turn!