Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash
Dear Easter People,
ALLELUIA! CHRIST IS RISEN! HE IS RISEN INDEED! ALLELUIA!
We joyfully shout this Easter acclimation on Easter Sunday! And not just then, but every day of our lives. Why? Because even though Easter Sunday is but one day in our 365-day calendar, the Easter celebration lasts for eternity! Jesus died … true enough … scripture details the horrible death. (John 19:33) Jesus was buried … true enough … Joseph of Arimathea made sure His body was properly honored. (John 19:38-42) Jesus rose to new life three days later … true enough … over 500 people, including Jesus’ closest disciples attest to this fact. (1 Corinthians 15:5-8) They recorded it for us to hear each year so “(We) may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing (we) may have life in His name.” (John 20:31) But we may forget this equally important fact … JESUS … IS … ALIVE! Today He His Word helps us remember … He is still alive and present with us. “ALLELUIA! CHRIST IS RISEN! HE IS RISEN INDEED! ALLELUIA!”
We shout because His resurrection gives us hope … not only in this world, but in the world to come. This hope is founded on the sure and certain truth that Jesus, the Son of God who was also born of a woman is “the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.” (1 Corinthians 15:20) Paul reminds us why this is so important. It was a man, Adam, who brought sin into the world; therefore, bringing also death … eternal separation from God. But this isn’t what God intended when He created us and it’s not what He desires. God desires to be with His creation, to dwell alongside it, to have it be in His presence … just like it was before the Fall of Man (Genesis 2:15-17, 3:8).
Therefore, just as it was a man who brought sin and death into the world … it must be a man who paid the ultimate price through a sacrificial death to relieve creation of the burden of sin. Since only God is perfect, it required a God-man to be the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all mankind. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, became a man, just like you and me in all things … except sin … to remove the stain of sin from creation.
By the man Adam, all die. By the God-man, Jesus Christ, all are made alive (1 Corinthians 15:22). Christ, the perfect man, rose from the dead to new life. In this single act, He proved He is who He said He is … God. He proves what He says to us is the ultimate truth. So, when He says He forgives our sins … they are forgiven … no matter how bad we might think they are! When He says He will return to judge the living and the dead … He will return to do just that. When He says He will raise those who believe in Him to new, eternal life … we will do just that too. We believe His word … so we shout today and every day,
“ALLELUIA! CHRIST IS RISEN! HE IS RISEN INDEED! ALLELUIA!”
In the Love of our Risen Savior,
Pastor Jim
Gary, It actually doesn't for a couple of reasons. First and foremost is faith. Faith is required to believe God and His Word. God's Word found in John 20:30-31 says, "Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name." The Holy Spirit of God, the third person of the Trinity, comes upon people, enabling them to trust and believe God and His Word. Without the Spirit, it's not possible to believe. Jesus tells us, also through His apostle John, (John 15:26) "The Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, He will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you."
Second, the eyewitnesses can be found to have been early church fathers as indicated by historical writings, from that era, by those who knew the Apostles. These writings attest to the life of the Apostles and that they were in fact eyewitnesses.
Finally, historically, the idea of someone rising from the dead to new life wasn't accepted in society. Yet Jesus' Apostles, and many hundreds of others, were firsthand eyewitnesses to the resurrected Jesus. In the face of persecution and death, they boldly proclaimed the resurrection. Matthew, Mark, and John were among these firsthand eyewitnesses who recorded what Jesus said and did, including His death, burial, and resurrection three days later. Luke it should be noted, wasn't an eyewitness, but he recorded the words of other eyewitnesses in writing his gospel.
So, no ... it doesn't concern me that anyone doubts the eyewitness authorship of the Gospels. I pray the Holy Spirit opens the eyes of the blind and the ears of the deaf to see and hear the good news that God our Father loves all mankind and desires for all to come to faith in His Son Jesus Christ. Amen.
Does it concern you that most Bible scholars doubt the eyewitness authorship of the Gospels?