I often enjoy reading John Stonestreet’s blog on Breakpoint. In today’s post, John quoted an old Easter message from Chuck Colson talking about the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
If you were not around in the days of the Nixon administration, you might not be familiar with the Watergate scandal. As an attorney, Chuck Colson served as Special Council to President Nixon from 1969 to 1970. He was one of seven political advisors convicted by a grand jury in the attempted cover-up of the 1972 Watergate break-in and illegal wiretapping. He served time in a federal prison for his crimes.
Through his experience, God transformed Chuck Colson’s life. In the midst of the scandal, Colson came to know Jesus Christ as His Savior and after serving his time in prison, Colson founded Prison Fellowship and became an influential leader in the Evangelical Christian community.
In Colson’s aforementioned Easter message, he talked about how his own experiences changed the way he looked at the historical resurrection of Jesus. Since the time of Jesus’ resurrection over 2000 years ago, people have cast doubt on the validity of the event, claiming the disciples secretly stole Jesus’ body from the tomb and then lied to cover up the truth.
As Colson relates, his experience with trying to maintain a lie among 12 men in positions of political power proved to him that it would have been impossible for so many powerless people to maintain a lie for so long; the resurrected Christ was witnessed by more than 500 followers, most of whom Paul mentions were still alive to testify to the fact some twenty years later (1Cor. 15:6). Never did the disciples waver from their testimony of the resurrection, even in the face of persecution and martyrdom.
At Easter, we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. When Jesus was crucified on the cross, He took upon Himself the sins of all. Then, on the third day, He was raised from the dead so that we who believe might have eternal life in Him.
May you experience the joy of Easter with the assurance of the resurrection in your heart!
Pastor Cindy
Read the blog or listen to the podcast at Breakpoint.org:
Watergate and the Resurrection: 12 Men Can’t Keep a Lie for Long
by John Stonestreet and Chuck Colson
Good point to make, during the Easter season! Good point to make in any season, especially since this is the basis of our belief. Thanks for the read, Cindy.
I didn’t know that part of Chuck Colson’s story. His point is the same reason that I don’t understand how so many people buy into conspiracy theories.