The resurrection: Jesus' greatest miracle

The Miracle and Sign of the Resurrection of Christ
20 Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. 2 So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!” John 20:1-2 NIV
            The resurrection of Christ is surely a miracle and sign. For anyone to say otherwise would almost make them a heretic. It is not only a sign, but the greatest sign of all because we have all been set free by one sacrifice in the Cross of Calvary. Of course many may argue that this event was not a miracle at all, but I firmly believe that only an individual who is not truly a born-again believer would believe such a thing. For proof of this miracle I have turned to many resources to aid my research and argument.
            In the Evangelical Dictionary of Theology on page 1014, Dr. Walter Elwell stated the following, “That Jesus Christ died and afterward rose from the dead is both the central doctrine of Christian theology and the major fact in a defense of its teachings”. Obviously by understanding the resurrection not just from the point of view that Jesus was deity, but also he was man in flesh. The resurrection more than anything, proved who Jesus was and his authority. Any resurrection of the dead I would consider a miracle, but for God to send his only begotten son to come and die for our sins and be raised on the third day after ministering here on earth for over three years is the best miracle and sign.
         What better event in life could someone possibly think of that would equal in value to what Christ done at the resurrection? Jesus was guaranteeing us on the resurrection because he did resurrect that our salvation is secure. We no longer have to slaughter animals on an altar. We are no longer held bound by the Mosaic Law, but rather set free through the resurrection of the Son. Also on page 778 under the definitions of miracles, Mr. Elwell has this to say regarding the resurrection, “Without the miracle of the first Easter, Christianity would no doubt long since have passed from the scene, and would certainly not be around to offend the ‘modern’ man.” Dr. Elmer Towns declared the resurrection a miracle from the very beginning of the 21st chapter of his book John: Believe and Live. On page 199 he states, “Fundamental to everything a Christian believes is the miracle of the physical resurrection of Christ from the dead.” With these bold statements and testimonies from such respected leaders in theology I would stand firm to say that the opinions stated here back up the argument that I have made. The resurrection is and will be the greatest miracle and sign of all time. It single handedly redeemed man from his certain fate of death and give us new life. I don’t need further proof than the resurrection to as a sign of who Jesus is. I pray God continues to remind us of his miracle the resurrection daily in our lives.
 
Bibliography
 
Elwell, Walter A. Evangelical Dictionary of Theology. Baker Book House Company. 2nd Edition. Grand Rapids, MI. 1984, 2001.
 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.®
 
Morris, L.  The Gospel of John.  Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1970.
 
Towns, Elmer. The Gospel of John: Believe and Live. Twenty-First Century Biblical Commentary Series. Nashville: AMG, 2002
 
Witherup, Ronald D. "Mark, the Gospel of Miracles." Priest 68, no. 6 (June 2012): 20-9. Religion and Philosophy Collection, EBSCOhost