Jesus resurrection should inspire us in hard times

This Easter comes when many families are in a state of serious grief. There have been many deaths of precious people in the last several weeks and months. From murder of innocent young men and women, to loss of precious lives in the Ethiopian Airways crash. From road accidents to terrorist attacks, there have been mourning all around us. As a remembrance of Jesus death and resurrection, Easter is a great season to reflect on the place of God in all these. At the core of the Christian faith is the belief that Jesus was not only crucified but that He rose from the dead on the third day. Unfortunately, nothing is more disputed and debated than the veracity of Jesus’ resurrection.

Whereas great scholars, philosophers and leaders have over the centuries accepted that Jesus was a great man, His resurrection has proved to be a great challenge. Mahatma Gandhi, a great admirer of Jesus, is reported to have declared, “I could accept Jesus as a martyr, an embodiment of sacrifice, a divine teacher, but not as the most perfect person ever born. His death on the cross was a great example to the world, but that there is anything mysterious or miraculous in it, my heart could not accept.” Like Gandhi, there are many serious critics and ardent cynics who find the belief in the death and resurrection of Jesus a cockamamie and a fraud.