His miraculous conception, His sinless life, His sacrificial death, His prophesied resurrection and His ascension to the Father—without any one of these aspects of Jesus' life, mankind would have no hope.

But through these events, foretold by dozens of ancient biblical prophecies, we have hope of life beyond our temporary physical existence. Through our Savior, we have hope of a resurrection and an end to death itself. For a believer, the focus on Christ's resurrection is a central tenet of faith. What the disciples saw after three days and three nights was a tomb without a body and then the risen Christ in recognizable bodily form. They saw and touched Him. Their mourning was indeed turned to joy. Christ was raised from the dead and appeared to His disciples multiple times over the coming days before finally ascending to heaven. Because of His acceptance by the Father, Christians have the opportunity to receive eternal life.

Understanding the miraculous events surrounding Jesus' resurrection is the first step in understanding His role in your life today. As you'll see, the ongoing life and work of the resurrected Jesus Christ is what enables Christians to have a rich, living relationship with their God in heaven. We are forgiven through Christ's sacrifice and saved by His life.