|PIC1|In a moment of hushed expectation the BBC continuity announcer said, 'Now on BBC1, the miraculous events of Easter Day retold in The Passion'. At the end it was also full of expectancy when he said 'Momentous events mean things will never be the same' echoing the same sentiment as the programme ended. The only problem was that he was already looking to another drama and said that these 'momentous events' would take place 'in Lark Rise to Candleford!'

Well whatever momentous events take place in any TV drama, none are comparable to the first Easter Day. It is a day like no other in all history. It was an earth shattering event. Jesus was dead. The Roman Guard made sure of it. But after three days, as foretold he came alive again! No wonder a third of the worlds population attest to the significance two thousand years later. It was an event recognised by governments and historians alike, to the extent that we now measure our dates in history before and after Christ.

No other drama competes on the 'momentous events' scale!

There was plenty of drama throughout the last week in Jesus life, and the BBC depicted this well and we are grateful for the retelling. Three groups of people take centre stage. Pilate and the Roman Guard try to keep peace in Judea. Caiaphas and the Temple Guard attempt to hold a Passover Festival without a riot. Jesus and his disciples arriving and disrupting the political and religious balance. Jesus overturned the tables in more than one sense: indeed he overturned history when he was seen to be alive again.

Things were not the same after the resurrection. More things are overturned.

Peter, who denied Jesus three times goes on to receive great power by the Holy Spirit and preaches in the market places without fear for his own life. Saul, one of those people charged to get rid of these followers of Jesus with the authority to put Peter to death, is converted on the now famous Damascus Road. He is completely turned round and becomes Paul who started churches throughout the Empire and in Rome itself. Eventually even an Emperor becomes a convert! The whole world has changed and it is due to the miraculous event of the resurrection of Jesus.

Those of us who have encountered Jesus today will never be the same either. Like mary who found the tomb empty and saw Jesus and the disciples walking to Emmaus who recognise Jesus when he breaks bread, we have been changed. We too have been overturned. We might have many questions but we stand with what we have seen and heard, 'He is Risen' and respond with the traditional reply to the Easter greeting: 'He is Risen Indeed! Hallelujah.'

If this is not your experience, or even if you would just like to find out a bit more about the man whose 'momentous' and 'miraculous' event meant 'things will never be the same', find out more at www.rejesus.co.uk. He may turn your life upside down too.



Jim Currin represents the Group for Evangelisation of Churches Together in England.