A man lives on the 19th floor of a building. Every day he takes the elevator down to the ground floor in order to leave the building. When he returns home he takes the elevator to the 6th floor and walks up the stairs to reach his apartment on the 10th floor. He does this everyday unless it’s raining. If it rains, he rides the elevator all the way to the 10th floor. Why does he do this?
A man rode into town on Friday. He stayed for three nights and then left on Friday.
How is this possible?
Have you ever played these kind of games? Some of you may pause to figure them out and others will simply wonder what nut-case came up with this stuff?! Answer: someone who probably has way too much time on their hands. And…when you read the answers you will really dislike them. It’s actually called “lateral thinking.”
With our man in the elevator, the reason he would only go to the 6th floor on his return home is that this was the highest button he could reach on the elevator control panel. He was a short man. On days that it rained he had his umbrella with him so he could use the umbrella to punch in his 10th floor. The man on the horse? The man’s horse was named Friday!
So now that you’e got the hang of it, let’s try one more. On Friday night a man dies. He’s buried that same night. On Sunday morning his friends arrive at the grave only to discover his body is gone. What happened?
One of the problems of Jesus’ resurrection is that many people try to make sense out of everything that happened. Exactly how could Jesus die and then come back to life again? It doesn’t make any sense. No – it sure doesn’t make sense. How could our Creator love us so much that He would take our place in death and be our substitute? He lived the life we couldn’t live and died the dead we should have died. It’s hard to make sense of.
But questions have answers – if we look hard enough. Josh McDowell, a man who initially set out to disprove Christianity was asked, “Professor, why can’t you refute Christianity?” His reply? “For this simple reason – the resurrection of Jesus Christ.” After more than seven hundred hours of studying and investigating the evidence, it only led him to God. Josh would later write his now-famous book, “Evidence That Demands a Verdict.” I could go on & on listing people who have sought God and come to his same conclusion.
Each apostle in the New Testament, except for John, died a martyr’s death. They died rather than recant their belief in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. I don’t believe for a nano-second they would have died for a lie! Who would do that?! History has shown people will give their lives for what they believe is true but not die for what they know is false.
In an Indiana cemetery there lies a tombstone which reads: “Pause stranger, when you pass me by. As you are now son, once was I. As I am now, so you will be. So prepare for death and follow me.” An unknown passerby read those words and sketched beneath them: “To follow you I’m not content – Until I know which way you went.” Fair enough.
I always tell people that eternity is a long time to spend in the wrong place! Easter Sunday is right around the corner – April 5th. The day we celebrate the resurrection of the One who took our place in death so we could have eternal life. You are invited to join us at 10 am for free coffee & donuts as we celebrate this amazing gift of life. As the sign on the back of the car for a home security business asks: “What have you got to lose?” Selah!
Bob and Susan Beckett pastor The Dwelling Place City Church at 27100 Girard Street in Hemet, Ca. For more information, you may contact them at Dpcitychurch.org
