During COVID 19, I've been doing a lot of cleaning and organizing. I found an old book I got from an AlphaUSA auction called 30 days by Nicky Gumbel. It has a funny logo of a guy carrying a huge question mark. The first chapter is called the most important question and had a curious Bible reference. Matthew 28:1-10
- Either Jesus is alive now and we can know Him or He is not and we cannot. What is the evidence that Jesus is alive?
1. Absence of Jesus from the tomb Matthew 28:6
2. Presence of Jesus with disciples Mathew 28:9, 16-20, Luke 24:36-51, John 21, 1 Cor 15:1-8
- More than 500 people saw him on 11 different occasions over a period of six weeks
3. Birth and growth of Christian church, Matthew 28:8 "filled with joy" Matthew 28:10 "rushed to spread the news"
4. Experience of Christians through the ages
- C. S. Lewis said "A Christian believes in Jesus not because he finds Him by laboratory methods, but by actual contact with Him. A Christian is something like an electric eel, which knows more about electricity than all the electrical engineers put together."
- Joad wrote this book, "Recovery of Belief" [how] could such a handful of unlettered and discouraged men have made the impact they did upon the Roman world, UNLESS they were convinced of the truth of what they proclaimed… and UNLESS they received continuous assistance from God… the Church has survived the excesses of its ministers and members. How, one is tempted to wonder, could it have done so unless God Himself kept it alive?” (Pg. 244)
He concludes, “The proof of the pudding is in the eating. Does the thing, then, work in practice? On the whole and subject to considerable doubts and reservations, I should say that it does.” (Pg. 248)
The implications of the Resurrection are far-reaching. You can be sure about the past. God raised Jesus from the dead, therefore the cross was effective and forgiveness is possible. You can be sure about the future. Death is defeated. If you have put your faith in Jesus Christ one day you will rise from the dead just as He did. You can be sure about the present, Jesus is alive today. He is near you right now. You can hear this same person speak to you (primarily through the Bible) and you can speak to him (as you pray).
Prayer: Thank God for the resurrection of Jesus, Thank Him that it's possible to have assurance and forgiveness, a secure future and the presence of Jesus with you each day.
Matthew 28:1-10 The Message (MSG)If you could meet any person from the past and ask just one question, who would you meet and what would you ask? C.E.M Joad, then Professor of Philosophy at London University and well-known agnostic, answered: "I would meet Jesus Christ and ask Him the most important question in all the world - did You or di You not rise from the dead?"
28 1-4 After the Sabbath, as the first light of the new week dawned, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to keep vigil at the tomb. Suddenly the earth reeled and rocked under their feet as God’s angel came down from heaven, came right up to where they were standing. He rolled back the stone and then sat on it. Shafts of lightning blazed from him. His garments shimmered snow-white. The guards at the tomb were scared to death. They were so frightened, they couldn’t move.
5-6 The angel spoke to the women: “There is nothing to fear here. I know you’re looking for Jesus, the One they nailed to the cross. He is not here. He was raised, just as he said. Come and look at the place where he was placed.
7 “Now, get on your way quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He is risen from the dead. He is going on ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there.’ That’s the message.”
8-10 The women, deep in wonder and full of joy, lost no time in leaving the tomb. They ran to tell the disciples. Then Jesus met them, stopping them in their tracks. “Good morning!” he said. They fell to their knees, embraced his feet, and worshiped him. Jesus said, “You’re holding on to me for dear life! Don’t be frightened like that. Go tell my brothers that they are to go to Galilee, and that I’ll meet them there.”
- Either Jesus is alive now and we can know Him or He is not and we cannot. What is the evidence that Jesus is alive?
1. Absence of Jesus from the tomb Matthew 28:6
2. Presence of Jesus with disciples Mathew 28:9, 16-20, Luke 24:36-51, John 21, 1 Cor 15:1-8
- More than 500 people saw him on 11 different occasions over a period of six weeks
3. Birth and growth of Christian church, Matthew 28:8 "filled with joy" Matthew 28:10 "rushed to spread the news"
4. Experience of Christians through the ages
- C. S. Lewis said "A Christian believes in Jesus not because he finds Him by laboratory methods, but by actual contact with Him. A Christian is something like an electric eel, which knows more about electricity than all the electrical engineers put together."
- Joad wrote this book, "Recovery of Belief" [how] could such a handful of unlettered and discouraged men have made the impact they did upon the Roman world, UNLESS they were convinced of the truth of what they proclaimed… and UNLESS they received continuous assistance from God… the Church has survived the excesses of its ministers and members. How, one is tempted to wonder, could it have done so unless God Himself kept it alive?” (Pg. 244)
He concludes, “The proof of the pudding is in the eating. Does the thing, then, work in practice? On the whole and subject to considerable doubts and reservations, I should say that it does.” (Pg. 248)
The implications of the Resurrection are far-reaching. You can be sure about the past. God raised Jesus from the dead, therefore the cross was effective and forgiveness is possible. You can be sure about the future. Death is defeated. If you have put your faith in Jesus Christ one day you will rise from the dead just as He did. You can be sure about the present, Jesus is alive today. He is near you right now. You can hear this same person speak to you (primarily through the Bible) and you can speak to him (as you pray).
Prayer: Thank God for the resurrection of Jesus, Thank Him that it's possible to have assurance and forgiveness, a secure future and the presence of Jesus with you each day.
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