Have you ever wondered, why did Jesus rise?
Polite company has often shunned the topic of death and most people do everything they can to prolong their life. However, the unavoidable fact is that death will one day come to us all. If you visit a cemetery, you will find people of your age there – it comes to us all. We live, we die, but what next?
Christians have the wonderful assurance of life beyond the grave. This hope is not wishful thinking, rather it is guaranteed by Jesus Christ who died to take God’s punishment for their wrongdoing. After living the perfect life which we have failed to live, He died on the cross to reconcile sinners with God, for time and eternity. The Bible tells us the reason why He was put to death – ‘Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures’ (1 Corinthians 15:3). Just as God had promised, Jesus came to live and die.
However, this Jesus, upon whom Christians rely for their entrance into Heaven, is not to be found in a graveyard. Why? Because, Jesus is alive! This is why the Christian faith is unique. Christianity is not a religion whose leader is dead and buried. It is a relationship with a person who lives.
Following His death on the cross, the body of Jesus was laid in a sealed and guarded tomb. But, on the first Easter Sunday, the stone across the entrance had been rolled away. When some mourners arrived and examined the tomb, they found it was empty. Jesus had risen from the dead! Two angels told them, ‘Why do you look for the living among the dead?’ ‘He is not here; He has risen!’ (Luke 24:4-5).
Hundreds of witnesses saw Jesus Christ after His resurrection and were convinced that this was the same Jesus who had been crucified. The Apostle Peter declared, ‘God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact’ (Acts 2:32). The Bible tells us that, because Jesus died for our sins and rose ‘He is able to save completely those who come to God
through Him’ (Hebrews 7:25). Because Jesus rose from the dead, it proves He really is the Son of God and that God has accepted His death on behalf of sinners.
Because Jesus conquered the grave, He is uniquely qualified to grant eternal life to those who trust Him. If you will turn from your sin and turn to the Lord Jesus Christ as the Saviour you need, you too can have the assurance of everlasting life. Jesus said, ‘I tell you the truth, whoever hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life’ (John 5:24).
Wnaethoch chi erioed feddwl, pam wnaeth Iesu atgyfodi?
Nid yw pobl yn aml yn ystyried marwolaeth fel pwnc trafod. Gwna’r rhan fwyaf o bobl bopeth o fewn eu gallu i fyw yn hirach. Fodd bynnag, mae’n ffaith anochel y daw marwolaeth i ran pob un ohonom un diwrnod. Os ewch chi i ymweld â mynwent, fe welwch chi bobl o’r un oed â chi yno – mae’n dod i ni i gyd. Rydan ni’n byw, rydan ni’n marw, ond beth sy’n digwydd nesaf?
Mae gan Gristnogion sicrwydd rhyfeddol o fywyd y tu hwnt i’r bedd. Nid ffrwyth dychymyg mo’r gobaith yma ond gobaith sicr gan fod Iesu Grist wrth farw wedi cymryd cosb Duw arno’i hun am eu camweddau. Wedi i’r Iesu fyw’r bywyd
perffaith na lwyddom ni ei fyw, bu farw ar y groes i gymodi pechaduriaid gyda Duw, dros amser a thragwyddoldeb. Dywed y Beibl wrthym y rheswm pam y cafodd ei ladd – ‘Bu i Grist farw dros ein pechodau ni, yn ôl yr Ysgrythurau’ (1 Corinthiaid 15:3). Yn union fel yr addawodd Duw, daeth Iesu i’r byd i fyw ac i farw.
Dibynna Cristnogion ar yr Iesu ar gyfer eu mynediad i’r nefoedd. Nid yw’r Iesu hwn i’w gael mewn mynwent. Pam? Oherwydd bod Iesu yn fyw! Dyna pam fod y ffydd Gristnogol yn unigryw. Nid yw Cristnogaeth yn grefydd lle mae ei harweinydd wedi marw a’i gladdu. Mae’n berthynas â pherson byw. Wedi ei farwolaeth ar y groes, gosodwyd corff Iesu
mewn bedd wedi’i selio a’i warchod. Ond, ar Sul y Pasg cyntaf, roedd y garreg ar draws y fynedfa wedi’i rholio i ffwrdd. Pan gyrhaeddodd rhai galarwyr y bedd, gwelsant ei fod yn wag. Roedd Iesu wedi atgyfodi oddi wrth y meirw! Dywedodd dau angel wrthynt, ‘Pam ydych chi’n ceisio ymhlith y meirw yr hwn sy’n fyw?’ ‘Nid yw ef yma; Y mae wedi ei gyfodi!’ (Luc 24:5-6).
Gwelodd cannoedd o dystion Iesu Grist ar ôl ei atgyfodiad ac roeddent yn argyhoeddedig mai hwn atgyfodiad ac roeddent yn argyhoeddedig mai hwn oedd yr un Iesu ag a gafodd ei groeshoelio. Dywedodd yr Apostol Pedr, ‘Yr Iesu hwn a gyfododd Duw, rhywbeth yr ydym oll yn dystion ohono’ (Actau 2:32). Dywed y Beibl wrthym, gan fod yr Iesu wedi
marw dros ein pechodau ac wedi atgyfodi, ‘Y mae ef hefyd yn gallu achub hyd yr eithaf y rhai sy’n agosáu at Dduw trwyddo ef’ (Hebreaid 7:25).
Gan fod yr Iesu wedi atgyfodi oddi wrth y meirw, mae’n profi mai Ef yw Mab Duw mewn gwirionedd a bod Duw wedi derbyn Ei farwolaeth ef ar ran pechaduriaid. Gan fod Iesu wedi gorchfygu’r bedd mae’n gwbl gymwys i roi bywyd tragwyddol i’r rhai sy’n ymddiried ynddo. Pe baech yn troi oddi wrth eich pechod at yr Arglwydd Iesu Grist fel y Gwaredwr sydd ei angen arnoch, gallech chithau hefyd dderbyn y sicrwydd o fywyd tragwyddol. Dywedodd Iesu, ‘Yn
wir, yn wir, rwy’n dweud wrthych fod y sawl sy’n gwrando ar fy ngair i, ac yn credu’r hwn a’m hanfonodd i, yn meddu ar fywyd tragwyddol. Nid yw’n dod dan gondemniad; i’r gwrthwyneb, y mae wedi croesi o farwolaeth i fywyd’ (Ioan 5:24).