He Is Risen, indeed! Just as He said!
Tomorrow we celebrate Easter. Many will be thanking the Easter Bunny/Beagle for their candy and gifts and eggs. They'll be hunting for colorful eggs and it's a time for families to gather.
Yes, spring is here! The snow is melting, and another summer is dawning.
Yet as much as it's great to celebrate all of that above, it pales in comparison to the greatest story ever told. Jesus isn't some imaginary fairy or enchanted animal. Jesus did walk the Earth, that cannot be disputed. While Santa Claus stems from a real person, said person was unable to work as God. Because he was not God. Jesus was God.
For if Jesus wasn't God, and merely - as most believe- a good man He would also have to be the best liar and most evil of men. Why the most evil? Look at what has happened in so many places. Early Christians suffered and died for their faith, they were tortured and put to death just for believing Christ was who He says He is. There are Christians in China - where it's illegal - and in other oppressed countries that are willing and do die for their faith.
Children die for believing Christ.
If He is not who He claims to be He is evil incarnate!
If He was not who He said He was - His mother would have said so. There's no record anywhere - Roman, Jewish, Christian, or otherwise - of Mary pleading with Christ to give up his cause or his charade. She is not running to every soldier and every judge and screaming her Son was at worse guilty of lying and at best insane. No. She watched and wept silently as her First Born - God's Son - died on the cross.
She didn't understand it -she was probably still trying to figure out why she was chosen to be his mother period!- but she accepted it. Because He is bigger than she is. She had the ultimate faith.
Of the 12 disciples - only one did not truly believe: Judas. And his guilt at the end was so great that he killed himself. He realized what he'd done. Not only decieved a great teacher and preacher... a good friend - he sold out God.
Of the Roman Soldiers on the hill that day - Calvary, Golgotha... just outside the Fortress of Antonia... in all of the chaos of the crowds and the soldiers casting lots... through the wind, and the earthquake He stood in awe and proclaimed Jesus was the Son of God.
You know, watching the Passion of the Christ today took me back to the discussion we had in a film class. People said it was too graphic. Bloody for bloody's sake. Yes it was graphic - no more so than the Biblical account though.
What of Tarrentino's films? They're overly bloody and to what purpose? To entertain. There was nothing entertaining in Christ's suffering.
The only thing we got out of it was SALVATION. It was a hefty price, but in Christ's eyes we were worth it.
Now people are arguing if He exists, that He didn't rise from the dead, that He is just up for interpretation, that he can be anything we want him to be. He hung on that cross for everyone, including those that deny him... and he KNEW US before we were BORN, before the FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD... He knew if we'd accept him. And he didn't care. He still went through it all. For worthless people... for that's all any of us are without Christ... we're nothing.
So while you're feasting on Lamb (or ham, or marshmallow peeps) think of the most wonderous of Lambs.
He is Risen! He is risen INDEED! Just as He said!
Yes, spring is here! The snow is melting, and another summer is dawning.
Yet as much as it's great to celebrate all of that above, it pales in comparison to the greatest story ever told. Jesus isn't some imaginary fairy or enchanted animal. Jesus did walk the Earth, that cannot be disputed. While Santa Claus stems from a real person, said person was unable to work as God. Because he was not God. Jesus was God.
For if Jesus wasn't God, and merely - as most believe- a good man He would also have to be the best liar and most evil of men. Why the most evil? Look at what has happened in so many places. Early Christians suffered and died for their faith, they were tortured and put to death just for believing Christ was who He says He is. There are Christians in China - where it's illegal - and in other oppressed countries that are willing and do die for their faith.
Children die for believing Christ.
If He is not who He claims to be He is evil incarnate!
If He was not who He said He was - His mother would have said so. There's no record anywhere - Roman, Jewish, Christian, or otherwise - of Mary pleading with Christ to give up his cause or his charade. She is not running to every soldier and every judge and screaming her Son was at worse guilty of lying and at best insane. No. She watched and wept silently as her First Born - God's Son - died on the cross.
She didn't understand it -she was probably still trying to figure out why she was chosen to be his mother period!- but she accepted it. Because He is bigger than she is. She had the ultimate faith.
Of the 12 disciples - only one did not truly believe: Judas. And his guilt at the end was so great that he killed himself. He realized what he'd done. Not only decieved a great teacher and preacher... a good friend - he sold out God.
Of the Roman Soldiers on the hill that day - Calvary, Golgotha... just outside the Fortress of Antonia... in all of the chaos of the crowds and the soldiers casting lots... through the wind, and the earthquake He stood in awe and proclaimed Jesus was the Son of God.
You know, watching the Passion of the Christ today took me back to the discussion we had in a film class. People said it was too graphic. Bloody for bloody's sake. Yes it was graphic - no more so than the Biblical account though.
What of Tarrentino's films? They're overly bloody and to what purpose? To entertain. There was nothing entertaining in Christ's suffering.
The only thing we got out of it was SALVATION. It was a hefty price, but in Christ's eyes we were worth it.
Now people are arguing if He exists, that He didn't rise from the dead, that He is just up for interpretation, that he can be anything we want him to be. He hung on that cross for everyone, including those that deny him... and he KNEW US before we were BORN, before the FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD... He knew if we'd accept him. And he didn't care. He still went through it all. For worthless people... for that's all any of us are without Christ... we're nothing.
So while you're feasting on Lamb (or ham, or marshmallow peeps) think of the most wonderous of Lambs.
He is Risen! He is risen INDEED! Just as He said!