Monday, September 23, 2013

Jesus Is Alive! (John 21:1-14)


Today's scripture: John 21:1-14

Some say that Jesus' rising from the dead is a myth, one propagated by group of delusional followers. That assertion just doesn't, as the cliché goes, "hold water."

I'm sure you've read about this before, but it bears repeating.

Jesus' resurrection cannot be a myth because:

The tomb is empty; even the Roman guards proved that to be true. Matthew wrote, "Pilate said to them, 'You have a guard; go, make it as secure as you know how.' And they went and made the grave secure, and along with the guard they set a seal on the stone" (27:65-66). NOTE: According to my research guard didn't mean a single guard; it would have been a unit of four guards (www.riverpower.org). After the resurrection, "... some of the guard came into the city and reported to the chief priests all that had happened [that the stone was rolled away and an angel appeared]. And when they had assembled with the elders and consulted together, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, and said, 'You are to say, "His disciples came by night and stole Him away while we were asleep." And if this should come to the governor’s ears, we will win him over and keep you out of trouble.' And they took the money and did as they had been instructed ..." (28:11-15)
The remaining 11 disciples were hiding in fear for their lives. Yet after they saw Jesus, alive and well, they became bold and proclaimed Jesus' truth without fear. In fact, all but John were martyred for their faith, and even John died in exile.
In Luke 24:13-35, we read of Jesus' appearance to unnamed disciples on the road to Emmaus.
Paul wrote to the church at Corinth that "He appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep" (1 Corinthians15:6). Paul's claim is probably the second-most compelling. By saying that "most of whom remain until now," he opened the door for opponents to prove his words wrong, and had they done so, Christianity would never have become a world-wide faith that is still thrives today.
Finally, the most compelling reason to believe that Jesus rose from the dead are the lives that have been transformed over two millennia. I represent just one of millions of lives. Committing my life to Christ changed me from a selfish, depressed, miserable person to a woman who finds joy through the pain, who sees the power of prayer, and who lives to glorify God. I've heard too many stories of faith to deny Jesus' work.
He is alive and well. He is working in the hearts and lives of those who follow Him. He'll work in yours as well. Surrender yourself to the One who conquered death itself ... and who will one day gather His followers to Him for eternity.

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