He then appeared to Paul, once a non-believer, and they talked, Paul was told to spread the gospels and, in his letters to the Christians in: Rome; Corinth; Ephes; Galatia and so on that is what he did. Paul also travelled to many countries to pass on Jesus’ message.
In total Jesus made appearances for up to forty days, in this time he was able to accomplish both human acts, like eating, and non-human acts, like walking through walls. Jesus was for this period unrecognisable unless he chose to reveal himself to others. He had much communication with his disciples, and taught them, he also explained that they were the last days. After the forty days Jesus rose to heaven to join his father
“After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God. Mark 16: 19
Just as the resurrection was important to Christians when it happened it is important to them now. There are many reasons for this, whether they believe that Jesus was physically or spiritually raised the implications are the same, the resurrection shows them that Christians, like Jesus, will be raised after death. This takes the fear out of death as Christians can then believe that they will join God and Christ in Heaven and so don’t have to be afraid of a limitless abyss after death.
The resurrection also gives meaning to life as it shows Christians that life does not end after death. It shows that life has meaning and that we will be judged by the way we live here on earth. It also shows that we are not just molecular arrangements, i.e. that we are not just a body. We have a spirit and this belongs to God and will be claimed by him when we die.
It helps Christians to be good by showing them that Jesus is still with them, he gives power to Christians through the Holy Spirit and this motivates them to be servicing to others and to follow Jesus’ example without fear of persecution. Even the disciples felt this, after Jesus went back to heaven they gained courage and changed, they were now inspired to spread the gospel
“20Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it. “ Mark 16: 20
The resurrection shows Christians that Jesus is in fact God’s son, because only he who was the son of God could have raised from death and lived on. It also shows that God is all powerful. Both of these things are shown by the fact that the no man had ever come back to life before and no man has done it since. The resurrection was not an everyday thing and it is that which makes Jesus Christ so special.
In the Torah (a Jewish scripture) it foretells that the Son of God would come and save the Jews and that three days after dying he would come back to life, as this is what happened to Jesus many Christians believe that his coming was the one referred to by the prophets. This proves i) the scriptures are true ii) Jesus was God’s son and the chosen one.
The resurrection also shows that when we die we come back to God. Death was a direct result of the Fall, as was sin, suffering and evil. Jesus’ death reverses this effect
“So then. As the one sin condemned all mankind in the same way the one righteous act sets all mankind free and gives them life” Romans 5:18
This shows us that in death Jesus unchained us from death, sin, suffering, and evil. And gave us atonement with God. Thanks to him we will no longer have severed relationships.
Most importantly the resurrection is important to Christians because without the resurrection there would be no Christianity. This is because it is at the very heart of Christianity that the resurrection lies. Many would say that the resurrection is the essence of Christianity and so without the resurrection Christianity is meaningless, Paul said:
“And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith” 1Corinthians 15:14.
This means that if the resurrection were not there then the apostles have nothing to teach and the Christians have nothing to believe.
Although there are many reasons for the resurrection’s importance there really needn’t be, as only one is needed. Christianity needs the resurrection, it is the pillar on which it is carried and with no belief there is no religion. It is for that reason, if no other that the resurrection is so important and centralized in Christian belief and -despite death being a gloomy event- it is celebrated every year.