Confronting the Risen Christ
Dr. Erwin W. Lutzer

We believe that Jesus Christ literally rose from the dead on Easter morning. Some people have called the Resurrection a myth, but I like what Vance Havner said, “If it’s a myth, then I am ‘mythtaken’, ‘mythtified’, and ‘mytherable.”’

However, not everyone is glad that Jesus Christ rose from the dead. Throughout history there have always been those who have wanted to keep Christ confined, they wanted to keep Him in the tomb. Pilate began this tradition by asking the guards to make the tomb secure. “Until the third day, lest the disciples come and steal Him away and say to the people ‘He has risen from the dead,’ and the last deception will be worse than the first. Pilate said to them ‘You have a guard; go make it as secure as you know how”’ (Matthew 27:64, 65). Evidently, they didn’t make it secure enough, because the next chapter says, “And behold a severe earthquake had occurred, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled away the stone and sat upon it” (28:2). And as you know, the angel told the women to not be afraid because Jesus was not there, but He had risen just as He said.

Throughout history, many have used different kinds of stones to keep Christ in the grave, but they have been just as unsuccessful as Pilate.

For example, I think of David Hume who took the stone of philosophy and rolled it in front of the grave. Hume said that miracles are impossible. All students of elementary philosophy know that his Essay Against Miracles was nothing but circular reasoning. He began by saying that all nature is uniformly against miracles. Historically, he says, they have not occurred. But how does he know that? Possibly there was an exception. Actually, no philosophical argument could ever be advanced to keep Christ in the tomb. However skeptical Hume was, and however ingenious his reasoning, he was wrong. Thankfully, philosophy cannot keep Christ in the grave.

Then second, Karl Marx took the stone of politics and rolled it in front of the tomb, trying to keep Christ there. Marx was reared in the Rhineland of Germany and, though baptized a Lutheran, eventually turned against the Christian faith. Together with Engels he wrote The Communist Manifesto and later while studying in the British Museum, he wrote Das Kapital. Marx said that all religion was nothing more than the opiate of the people, and eventually it would die out. Marx elevated himself almost to the stature of God and wanted to destroy the world. Let me read one of his poems: “With disdain I throw down my gauntlet, Full in the face of the world And see the collapse of this pygmy giant, Whose fall will not stifle my ardor Then will I wander, godlike and victorious, Through the ruins of this world And giving my words an active force, I will feel equal to the Creator.”

Interestingly, the Christian church grows today in both the Soviet Union and in China. And of course particularly in the Soviet Union, Marxism has collapsed, proof that Marx was wrong when he asserted that man could rule the world on his own.

How could Marx think that he could keep Jesus Christ out of politics when the Lord Himself was the One upon Whom the governments of the world would rest? Isaiah wrote, “The government shall be upon His shoulder, and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.” Thankfully, He’s coming back to rule. Be assured that no political scientist can ever keep Jesus Christ in the tomb.

Then I think of Sigmund Freud. He rolled the stone of psychotherapy in front of the grave and tried to keep Christ bound. He said that religion was nothing but the figment of people’s imaginations; it was a projection created by us to give us a sense of security. Driven by aggression, our sex drives, and our desire for a father image, we created the idea of God. So Freud believed that psychoanalysis would be the answer to people’s mental problems.

A few years ago Time Magazine had a cover story on psychiatry, picturing psychiatry itself on the couch. Time said that psychiatry was in trouble because there is no evidence that it has been able to help society. There are at least 200 conflicting theories regarding the nature of man, and the entire field of psychotherapy is in disarray.

Then I think of Voltaire who took the stone of culture, thinking that he could keep Christ in the tomb. Voltaire was critical of the church in his day and not without reason. But unfortunately, he rejected Jesus Christ and the Bible, predicting that in less than one hundred years the Bible would be a forgotten book. Before he died he said, “I am abandoned by God and man. I shall go to hell.” Elsewhere he said, “There is no use telling me now there is no hell for I am already feeling its flames.”

Voltaire said that after one hundred years the Bible would be obsolete, but one hundred years after Voltaire died, the house in which he lived was purchased by The Geneva Bible Society, an organization distributing Bibles throughout Europe.

Voltaire evidently forgot that Jesus is the King of culture, the Lily of the Valley, the Bright and Morning Star. He is all wisdom, ethics, morality, salvation. His resurrection proved that He is everything that culture needs.

Finally, I think of Charles Darwin who took the stone of science and put it in front of the grave. Today, evolution is in disarray. Leading evolutionists themselves candidly admit that their theories are absolutely unbelievable. It can now be shown scientifically and mathematically that evolution is impossible. The editor of a French encyclopedia said very candidly, “Evolution is a fairy tale for adults.”

Think of the mistake Darwin made! Colossians 1:16 says, “For by Him were all things created, both which are in heaven and which are on earth, whether they be thrones or dominions or principalities or powers, all things were created by Him and for Him and in Him all things consist.”

Christ is the King of science, therefore how can science keep Him in the tomb?

Kingdoms come and kingdoms go but Jesus Christ lives. Centuries come and centuries go but Jesus Christ lives. Kings are crowned and kings are deposed but Jesus Christ lives. Skeptics laugh and skeptics mock but Jesus Christ lives. Emperors decree His extinction but Jesus Christ lives. He lives because He is King, King over the whole earth. And because He is King, someday you and I shall confront Him.
We read, “Every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.” That includes people of all religions, all cultures and all backgrounds. Yes, even those people who thought they could keep Christ in the grave by rolling one stone upon it will someday discover that they have to acknowledge Him as King and Lord. Eventually, everyone will agree about religion.

Now, my friend, what stone have you been rolling in front of the tomb to keep Christ at arm’s length? Is it bitterness, indifference, unbelief? Listen to me carefully: it is more probable that you can blow the mountains of the earth into the sea with a puff of air than to try to keep Christ in the tomb. It is more probable that you can sink a battleship with a pea shooter than to keep Christ in the tomb. It is more probable for you to take all the water that is in the world and confine it in an eyedropper than it would be for you to try to keep Christ in the tomb. And because Christ has risen, you must confront Him! No stone that you roll in front of the grave will keep Him away from you.

You say, “Well, where is He that I might meet Him?” A number of years ago there was a man who left Chicago and went to Kentucky where he wooed and won a woman to be his bride. But the birth of a child triggered mental illness in this woman. At her best, she was just a bit demented; at her worst, she was a raving maniac. So he moved out of the city to one of the suburbs, hoping that the neighbors would not complain about her screams at night. One day, someone suggested that he go back to Kentucky. Maybe if she saw where she grew up, she might become reoriented and gain her mental stability.

Back to Kentucky they went. Hand in hand they walked through the old homestead where memories hung around every comer. Hand in hand they walked through the meadows, past the flower beds and all of the places that she had known as a girl. But it didn’t seem to help.

He put his wife into the car for the long trip back to Chicago. But as they were nearing the city, he noticed that a deep sleep came upon her, it was more restful than she had had in many days and in many months. So when they arrived, rather than waking her he gently lifted her out of the car, took her into the home, placed her on the bed and sat beside her. Eight to 9, 9 to 10, 10 to 11, 11 to 12, into the wee hours of the morning he sat there until the sun came through the window and stroked her face. And then she awoke and said, “My husband, I’ve been on a long journey. Where have you been?” And that dear man speaking out of days and weeks and months of anguish said, “Darling, I haven’t been anywhere. I’ve been right here and I’ve been waiting just for you.”

Where is the risen Christ that you might confront Him? He is right here today waiting for you. Stones cannot hold Him, lies that are spoken about Him cannot detain Him, excuses cannot deter Him. He is King and He is Lord and confront Him you must!

Dr. Erwin Lutzer is the Senior Pastor of Moody Church located in Chicago, IL. He is an award-winning author of more than twenty books, a celebrated international conference speaker, and the featured speaker on three radio programs: The Moody Church Hour, Songs in the Night, and Running to Win. These programs are available on the Moody Broadcasting Network, the Bible Broadcasting Network, Trans World Radio and many Christian radio stations around the world. For more information regarding Pastor Lutzer and Moody Church visit their web site at www.moodychurch.org.