By John L. Kinikin
Through historical witness men know dead men stay dead. However, God does that which is impossible with men. So we have the miracle of Jesus’ resurrection. God raised Jesus' dead body from the grave and Jesus walked out of the tomb alive! Jesus showed Himself to over 500 of His disciples, men, women, and children walking and talking with them, eating with them for forty days before the twelve apostles watched Him ascend to Heaven.
These same disciples believed the resurrection of Jesus really happened because they are witnesses to the resurrection. These men, who previously coward came out into the open and bravely proclaimed the truth of the resurrection to the world, the leaders of the then world would not receive their message and threatened them, beat them, stoned them, crucified them, even murdered them. If the disciples were lying they would have remained cowardly. Yet they remained constant and steadfast in the face of persecution still proclaiming the fact of Jesus’ miraculous resurrection.
Consider this. Why would five hundred people maintain a lie? For no gain? Why would five hundred people claim to be witnesses to the resurrection of Jesus while under persecution for up to sixty plus years? These people lost their homes, rejected by friends and relatives. The religious and political leaders sought to arrest and kill them and most were. It’s because they were not lying, they did see, walked and talked with, ate with, and touched the resurrected Jesus. These people knew without a shadow of a doubt Jesus is God in the flesh.
The first century disciples of Jesus came to possess a conviction; the conviction that Jesus is the God of both the living and the dead and they no longer fear death. The conviction that when they die. Yet they will live because Jesus lives. The conviction, there is no power and authority, higher than, God’s Power and Authority. The Conviction that Jesus chose to suffer death on the cross for the salvation of sinners. The conviction that this is the means by which God chose to save all who would trust His Son Jesus and receive Him as their Lord and Savior. God chose that the blood of Jesus will ransom us from the wages of sin. God chose to reconcile us to himself by this same Jesus, taking our guilt and removing our sins from us. God chose to justify the unjust sinner who trusts the only just and sinless man, Christ Jesus. The conviction, God was in Christ Jesus, reconciling the world unto Himself, and forgiving sins.
We who have come to Jesus in these last days, and believe, have the same knowledge of Jesus’ resurrection as the first Christians do. Because we have the witness of the Holy Spirit within our beings, and He (the Holy Spirit) teaches us all things just as Jesus promised. We know that Jesus Christ is the savior of the world. We come to the very same Convictions those first disciples came to. We know Jesus rose from the dead. That His resurrection speaks to Eternal Life. We know the first Christians are alive with Jesus. Because Jesus did not fail in His promises not even the promise of Everlasting Life. “Yet a little while [says Jesus] and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live.” John 14:19. The world cannot kill Jesus nor can they kill us who are in Jesus. This is Eternal Life, the world can’t give it and world can’t take it away. Only Jesus can!
This is a love story; the most important Love Story in the annals of mankind. For this love is from the most important, rich, and powerful and only God to those whom this very God deems to be the most important creatures in all the Universe. This love is, indeed, very great. Yet we are not rich and powerful. We are poor and wretched. Yet God chose to set His heart, to love us. We are sinful. Yet this Loving God chose to lift us out of sin. While we were still sinners He died for us; pouring out His blood for remission of sin. We are stubborn and frustrating to love. He remains patient. We are not always kind. Yet our God, the lover of our souls, is always kind. We are not faithful. Our God’s love never fades nor is it diminished, God is faithful still. Our faith grows weak. God believes in us still and always offers reasons to hope. Sometimes we find it hard to forgive. God easily forgives because Jesus’ blood was shed for the forgiveness of sin and His love is very great. When you are saying “God can’t love me, I’m too far gone.” God is saying “I love you. Come to me and find rest for your soul.” This is the best love story of all.
Come to Jesus. Repent to Him of your sinful ways. He is faithful and is sure to forgive you.
Pray this:
Jesus thank you for loving me and dying for my sins, I need your forgiveness. Forgive me of all my sins. I am turning around, away from my sinful ways, and turning to you. I am turning to your ways and want to live for you. Give me your Holy Spirit and teach me how to live a Holy life. Teach me everything, Jesus.
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