How I found My Easter.

“There’s no way that all this bible thing could be true considering how long ago it was…”

“I’m Spiritual, I know Jesus existed but I don’t see him as the son of God…he’s just like one of those prophets who set their minds free….”

“I like Science as it provides proof and eventually, it will also make sense to all of this…”

Easter – this day – is the MAIN EVENT for me.

This is the day that sets Christianity apart from all other religious beliefs. It sets Jesus apart from all of the other divine, mosaic, prophesizing human beings of the past.

Without Easter, without the Resurrection, Jesus wouldn’t and couldn’t possibly be the Son of God.
11 out of the 12 Apostles died a horrible death because they did not want to give up preaching that Jesus resurrected. Only one apostle died of a natural death – the rest suffered a gruesome painful beating.

As a logical thinking man, I had to ask myself, would I Die for a LIE?

If the whole Jesus thing was a conspiracy of some sort, if this was just all a scam to start a propaganda or to collect money in the name of religion – it doesn’t make any sense doesn’t it for 11 people to choose to be brutally tortured, punished and die all for the sake of a hoax?

Simon (Peter): Asked to be crucified upside down so that his death wouldn’t be equal to Jesus when emperor Nero of the Roman Empire ordered his crucifixion after he wouldn’t deny the resurrection of Christ.

Andrew according to 15th century historian Dorman Newman, refused to deny Jesus as God and was therefore scourged, tied to the cross (as opposed to nailed) so that he can suffer longer.

Andrew survived hanging in that cross for 2 days where he continued to preach that Jesus resurrected.
James became a captive of the governor of Judea, Herod Agrippa. After James was captured, one of the guards was moved by his courage, he not only repented and converted on the spot but asked to be executed alongside James.

Both men were beheaded simultaneously.

Philip who became a missionary after the resurrection preached in Asia. Eventually he ended up in an Egyptian City called Heliopolis where he was thrown into prison and was crucified in 54 AD.
Bartholomew preached in India where he was skinned alive and then beheaded.

Thomas preached in Greece where he angered local authorities who martyred him by running him through with a spear.

Mathew the former tax collector was martyred in Ethiopia where he was stabbed in the back by a swordsman that was sent by King Hertacus as Mathew criticized him for his morals.

James who continued to preach in Jerusalem was eventually beaten, stoned and then killed by a blow to the head with a club when he was 94 years old.

Thaddaues was crucified in Edessa in 72 AD.

Simon preached in the west coast of Africa and England where he was crucified in 74 AD.

Judas who felt remorse after his betrayal was said to have thrown the 30 pieces of silver he had been paid and went off to hang himself.

As a logical thinking man (again), I couldn’t help but admit that people don’t just allow themselves to be beaten, crucified and tortured for the sake of a lie.

Or would even allow themselves to die a gruesome death for the sake of a “Friend”.

You may get someone to allow a “fast” death to happen to them for the sake of their belief (like gunshot to the head, set off a self inflicting bomb, etc) but to be tortured? Crucified? Beaten? Slowly? For all of these men? It just doesn’t make any sense to me.

No one in their rightful mind would do this if they weren’t doing it for anything else other than the Truth.

Today, added to the above, I learned that the old testament had over 400 prophecies that Jesus fulfilled in the new testament.

I learned that the time gap between when the Old Testament was written versus when the New Testament was made was 400 years.

Knowing the specificity of these prophecies, I couldn’t help but conclude that it was impossible and non logical that any shape or form of collusion could have possibly occurred (as they were too far apart).

In Micah 5:2 it was prophesied “Born in Bethlehem” which got fulfilled in Mathew2:1-6
In Isaiah 7:14 it was prophesied “Born of a virgin” which got fulfilled in Luke 1:26-35
In Zech. 11:12: 30 It was prophesied “30 Pieces of Silver” which came true in Matthew 26 when Judas betrayed Christ.

Plus 397 ++ more…

Do you know the odds of 1 human being fulfilling over 400 different predictions?

Professor of Mathematics Peter Stoner gave 600 students the above as their project – to determine the odds. Due to the astronomical calculations, they limited the prophecies to just 8.

They calculated that in order for 1 human being to fulfill just 8 out of the 400+ prophecies that the odds of that would be one in ten to the 21st power.

To illustrate the impossibly of those odds, the professor said it’s similar to you covering the state of Texas in 3 feet high of silver coins and taking one of those coins and painting it in red – and then blindfolding yourself to try to go find it.

The American Scientific Association said this about this study: “the mathematical analysis … is based upon principles of probability which are thoroughly sound, and Professor Stoner has applied these principles in a proper and convincing way.”

That’s how I found my Easter.

I figured (twelve years ago) when I was about to officially leave and declare myself as an Atheist, that I should at least try to be an Informed Atheist.

So I invested the time to finally once and for all figure out for myself what I would do with my Spiritual Life. That quest is what led me here to my Easter where I know that He is Risen.