“Christianity is not built on the foundation of philosophy or a code of ethics.”

A thought by Mark Batterson (2014-09-02) from his book, The Grave Robber: How Jesus Can Make Your Impossible Possible (p. 259). Baker Publishing Group. Kindle Edition. (Click on the title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.)

That is not its foundation. It is built on the Resurrection.

As Mark puts it, “The footer of our faith is one fundamental fact— the empty tomb. After cheating death by calling Lazarus out of his tomb, Jesus walked out of His own tomb under His own power! That’s the ultimate apologetic— there is no argument against it. If the resurrection didn’t happen, Christianity ranks as history’s cruelest hoax. We’re not just wasting our lives worshiping Him. We’re living a lie. But if Jesus walked out of the tomb two thousand years ago, all bets are off. Or maybe I should say, all bets are on Jesus.”

But so many want to believe in Jesus as a very good teacher, a very good man who made a difference. As Mark says, “Most people have no hesitation acknowledging that Jesus was compassionate and wise, a great teacher or a powerful prophet. But that isn’t who He claimed to be. He claimed to be the resurrection and the life. And that’s where many people get stuck. But we’re only left with two options: either Jesus was who He claimed to be or He wasn’t. There is no middle ground.”

There is a very important question that will determine where you will live when this life is over. And as Mark puts it, “It will also make the impossible possible!” As Bono of U2 fame said in a Billboard magazine interview, “Christ was who He said he was— the Messiah— or a complete nutcase.”

So who is He to you?

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