Our world today often looks at death as a solution.

• Palestinians and Israelis continue to retaliate by killing each other because of boundary disputes: Death as a solution.
• A young man is teased and bullied at school, so he walks in one day with a gun and starts shooting classmates: Death as a solution.
• A gang member sees his girlfriend talking to another boy, so a drive by shooting results in the death of both of them and a few bystanders: Death as a solution.
• A sniper disagrees with a political candidate so he attempts to shoot and kill him: Death as solution.

I guess we should not be too surprised. The first death recorded in the Bible was supposed to be a solution to a problem. The sons of Adam and Eve quarreled, and Cain tried to solved it by killing his brother. That attitude has continued through history. The Jews thought death was the solution to the problem of Jesus. He was a trouble-maker. He was stealing their followers: put Him to death. What they did not know is that they were playing right into God’s plan!

Years ago a teacher in our church preschool told me about her time teaching in another school when Good Friday fell on April 1. A little boy in her class ran up, played a trick on her, then ran away shouting “Good Friday! Good Friday!” I’m glad he got his holidays mixed up, because that story showed me something: The devil must have been rejoicing that Jesus was dead. Our Lord laughed and said, “Good Friday!” The Jews must have been satisfied with themselves, thinking they had resolved their problems: Jesus smiled and rose and chuckled “Good Friday!” The disciples were despairing: Jesus leapt into their midst and proclaimed “Good Friday!”

The Jews thought the death of Jesus was a solution, and it was, but not the way they thought. They were partially right. His death was part of God’s solution to the problem of your sin. But it was only part of the solution.

1 Cor 15:13-14 If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.

If His death was all there was, then, as Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 15:19, you and I are the most pitied of all men. But there is more. Christ is alive. He has risen. He lives. He played the biggest prank of all time on the devil, the world and sin by bursting from the tomb and shouting not only “Good Friday” but also “The Day of Resurrection!” DEATH IS BEATEN! Jesus Lives! The victory’s won!

This world tries to make death the solution to their problems. What so many fail to see is that there has already been a death that provided the solution to all the problems you will ever encounter. And the reason the death of Jesus was that solution is because He not only died, but He also rose again. His victory is yours through faith. Because He lives, you will live also.

1 Corinthians 15:22 For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.

A few more thoughts on this tomorrow.