The old old story is true as ever, it is as true as bread, as true as wine. The story of Christ risen from the dead is as familiar as the sunrise, and as miraculous as the sunrise. This story is true, and it is the bedrock on which all other stories are built. It is the bedrock on which the story of your life is built. Christ’s resurrection is not something that adds meaning to your life, like the account of an illustrious ancestor. The resurrection of Christ is the fulcrum of all history, the turning point of all mankind’s sorry wandering.

Christ’s descent into the tomb, his continuing under the power of death for a time, and his rising again triumphant on the third day is true like bread is true. It is solid, real, potent. It does something to you. It gives you life. Consider what the bread does: after it dies and dies and dies and is broken for you, then it is passed from hand to hand, like the word of Christ passed from person to person, and it is taken in and turns to the stuff of life. There are many things you could eat, just as there are many stories you could listen to, but only one story gives you life. Do not gnaw on rocks when you could have bread.

Christ’s death on the cross and his suffering and agony and his giving up of his very spirit, his descent into Hades on your behalf, and his glorious return in defiance of hope or expectation is true like wine is true. It is strange and surprising and dark and full of sweet vitality. It does something to you. It warms and cheers. The grapes are crushed and left to wait, and then the wine is poured out lavishly, and it is passed from hand to hand, like the glad news of deliverance, and it is taken in and turns to the stuff of joy and strength. There are many thing you could drink, but most of them would kill you. There are many stories you could take in, and unless they are derivatives of the great story, they are poison.

But the story given to us is true. It is so true that its truth cannot stay contained to the time when it happened, but it stretches forth its potency through two millennia to reach you here. The same Christ who died and rose again now offers you bread and wine, he offers you himself. These symbols of Jesus’ death are joyously offered to you because Christ rose from the dead. His body was broken for you that you might become his body. His blood was poured out for you that your sins would be forgiven.

Take in this story, for it is the bedrock of your life. Eat it like bread, drink it like wine. And tell it again and again to one another. Pass it from hand to hand. Give it to your children that they may grow strong. Offer this story to those who are gnawing on rocks.