2010-04-04 Easter

The Lord has risen! The tomb is empty! He who spoke still speaks; he who came still comes; he who lived still lives!

It is hard to imagine exactly what the disciples felt and thought after hearing news that the Lord had risen and is alive. I believe it would have been very easy to be like Thomas and doubt the news, especially after witnessing the excruciating torture and death that Jesus endured. Unlike Thomas, though, who was able to have his doubt cast aside by witnessing the risen Lord, we have to take it on a step of faith.

However, this isn’t blind faith. Studying both the scriptures and history, we can build a firm foundation for our faith. For example, we read that Mary Magdalene ran to the disciples with the news that she has seen the Lord. I take this to be the honest truth, but why? Answer: she is a woman. During this time, if the story would have been made up by the disciples to promote their religious agenda, there is hardly any chance that they would have used a woman to carry such a message. As many of you know, women were not equals, and seldom ever educated. If the story were false about the risen Lord, I am positive the story tellers would have placed a man as the news breaker.

Furthermore, over the years many have tried to claim that the disciples must have taken the body out of the tomb to enhance their agenda. I say that this is not possible. The disciples, I believe, did not understand exactly what Christ meant when he said that he will rise again, so why would they take the body? Besides that, how would they have got the body out with the guards around? Bribe the guards? Possible, but it would have taken a lot because the guards would have had to accept that in exchange for putting their life on the line; I’m not sure the disciples would have had enough money.

One last example – many have stated that the risen Lord was either just a vision or some kind of ghost, but again I disagree. When Christ appeared to the disciples, he allowed Thomas to touch the wounds – you can’t touch a vision! The scriptures tell of Christ eating with the disciples after the resurrection – ghosts can’t eat!

I could go on and on, but the message is clear, Jesus of Nazareth is Lord; he is the King of Kings, and the Savior for Jews and Gentiles alike. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Light. My faith is built on Christ as the Son of God. Everything else is just supporting details.

“If we are faithless, we are Christless and graceless, hopeless and joyless. Thomas was ashamed of his unbelief, and cried out, My Lord and my God. He spoke with affection, as one that took hold of Christ with all his might; “My Lord and my God.” Sound and sincere believers, though slow and weak, shall be graciously accepted of the Lord Jesus. It is the duty of those who read and hear the gospel, to believe, to embrace the doctrine of Christ, and that record concerning him” (Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible).

Josh