Just a Thought: Does the Resurrection of Jesus Really Mean Something To Us?

So I'm reading a book titled A Desperate Faith: Lessons of Hope From the Resurrection by Jo Kadlecek and it is (obviously) centered on the subject of Jesus' resurrection from the dead.  But what I love about it so far, is that she is asking the question of what difference does it make in the life that I'm living in 2013?  She wonders about being so deeply influenced by modern western culture that the resurrection has been reduced to little more than a side-show--interesting, but of no real substance.  Here is an excerpt:

"Maybe that's the problem.  Maybe I've come to view Christ's  resurrection in the same way we would a really good action adventure, and romance movie all rolled into one.  It's got a compelling story line, great special effects, characters we care about, and even. . . .a happy ending.  When I 'watch' it, I get a nice feeling that lingers for a few days, until another compelling story grabs my attention."

Has the resurrection of Jesus Christ become little more than an interesting side-note in my life?  One that grabs my attention once a year at Easter and then has little to say about the rest of my life?

I have to wonder. . . .

And the reason that I wonder is because of how I see the lives change of those who knew Jesus first hand.  The ones who walked the dusty roads with Him and listened to His teaching, and watched how He lived, and what He said to them.

I have to wonder because when Jesus died they were absolutely distraught, with hope thrown out the window.  This tells me that Jesus really meant something to them!

And I have to wonder if I treat Jesus' resurrection like a side-note because I look at how the lives changed of those who saw and talked with Jesus after He had been raised from the dead--they were absolutely compelled to put their lives on the line for Him after what He had done for and shown them.

I have to wonder. . . .

Does the resurrection of Jesus really mean something to us?  I'm going to leave that question open today, but would encourage us all to read Acts and see just how the resurrection of Jesus impacted the people who were there.  And don't forget, that same Jesus is here right now. . . . .

BT