One way that many try to deny that Jesus rose from the dead is to simply deny that he even existed at all. They will claim that there isn't sufficient historical evidence to support that such a person ever lived. And if they do admit that he did exist, they may say that he wasn't like he is described in the bible.
A sure way to reason this out is found in the lack of adverse witnesses or testimony. It's simple. If Jesus never existed or was not like he was described, there would be some sort of written information stating that there were a bunch of crazy, zealous Jews who were going around telling others about a man that was completely in their imagination or just some "Joe" who was being completely exaggerated about. After all, they challenged the major religions of their day and leaders who depended on their religion to help run their affairs.
Yet, there are no such accounts to back up the claims that Jesus never existed or was not how he was described in the bible. Can you imagine a small group of Jews being able to convince other people from the same area that there was a guy teaching things when there was no such guy? Or that some guy had fed over 5000 people and they just missed it and none of those 5000 plus people thought it anything worth repeating? This would be more than unlikely, it would be unreasonable.
From my talks with others, these issues seem to be issues only on this side of the map. Let's think about it. Do the people of Israel have an issue with the historicity of Jesus? Do they wince because a bunch of idiots come to their country in groves to see the places where Jesus walked, got baptized and taught because they know he never really existed? Not at all. They know very well that Jesus is a part of the history of their nation. They know that he existed.
Now, some may wonder what this may have to do with Easter. Well, it has everything to do with the remembrance of the day that Jesus rose from the dead. In order to reap the benefit from his resurrection, simply you must believe it actually took place. There is nothing written in historical evidences that make the claim that what had been said was a lie. There would be no way to fool that many people into believing such a thing.
Once a person reasons this out, and they are left with no other alternative, they must decide what to do with that knowledge. Do they accept that Jesus rose so we too could overcome death and destruction? Or do they decide the God of the universe doesn't know what is best for man?
To choose the life that God has to offer brings freedom to do what is right. Without this freedom we are still buried under heaviness and continually struggle to dig our way out with formulas that have no solution.
Praise God! Jesus is alive!
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