More Thoughts On The Resurrection
"You are witnesses of these things." - Luke 24:48
One of the major questions people ask when considering the resurrection of Jesus is how to explain the dramatic change in the disciples. Consider the following:
At His crucifixion, all but one fled in fear and they went into hiding-- for as His followers, they feared the government authorities would arrest them as well. Later, in different parts of the world, they boldly proclaimed that Jesus had risen from the dead. When confronted with death if they didn't stop making that claim, none did. People will die for a lie that they don't know is a lie, but they don't die for something that they know is a hoax. Someone would have squealed and no one did. Why?
That first Easter morning when the women told the disciples that Jesus was risen, the disciples did not believe them. They thought it was nonsense. They knew He was dead. What happened to cause them to believe He was alive?
Can you answer these questions? I believe Jesus arose, and they saw Him, and their lives were never the same.
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13 Comments
Yes the disciples feared for their lives, and yes they did not believe the women when they were told that Christ was alive but when Jesus appeared to the disciples they not only believed but was strengthend in their belief. They then began to go out and preach that he was alive and that he had ascended back to the Father. Now the great news for us is that one day soon he is coming back to get us believers and take us home with him. The sad news is that the ones who do not believe will not go to heaven but will be cast into the lake of fire to spend eternity. We need to try to win all the lost to the Lord that we can because time is running out. - Jerry
It's just a made up story. There probably were no disciples. - Erik
Erik, what if you're wrong? - Becky
There are eternal conseqences, but there are consequences now. How would it feel to have your sins forgiven? How would it feel to know that you are a child of God and to know His Son personally Now-Today. Please pray for the Dear Lord to forgive your sins and come into your life and make you whole and become your precious Lord and Savior. - Christ Follower
Erik and Jonathan I hope you have the courage to go to a church this weekend. It is the one time of the year that you can slip in unnoticed for sure. Our church is having 5 different services and they all will be fairly full probably. Most Sundays I have the privilege of singing in the choir. This week we'll sing Redeemer. I love the words- Who taught the sun where to stand in the morning. Who told the ocean you can only come this far.
And who showed the moon where to hide till evening. Whose words alone can catch a falling star? Well I know my Redeemer lives. I know my Redeemer lives. All of creation testifies that life within me cries I know my Redeemer lives. The very same God that spins things in orbit runs to the weary weak and the worn and the same gentle hands that hold me when I'am broken they conquered death to bring me victory. He lives to take away my shame and He lives forever I'll proclaim that the payment for my sin was the precious life He gave. But now He's alive and there's an empty grave. And I know my Redeemer lives. Let all creation testify this life within me cries-I know my Redeemer- HE LIVES - Becky
I had noticed a comment that Jonathan had made that he didn't believe in the possibility of a virgin birth. Just for a minute consider the possibility that God could have created the earth and all creation for that matter and not a "big bang". Why is it so difficult to believe the virgin birth. Fifty years ago people would not have believed in the possibility of a test tube baby or invitro. Just consider it the ultimate invitro birth.Scientists can't even find the end of the universe-creation. Does the big bang explain all the tiny blood vessels throughout our body. All the tiny cells that make us up? Not hardly, not at all. - Christ Follower
Erik-My heart grieves for you and the loneliness you must feel. There is a God who loves, forgives and saves. He is REAL, he is loving and He LIVES. I am praying someday that you will channel your unbelief as Paul did and lead many to the Lord. God says, I stand at the door and knock, answer your door, Erik. - JAM-MEXICO
Yes he is real and the disciples were real also. There are records of it in Jewish history. Even the Jews said Christ lived they just didn't accept him as the Messiah. He can be the Lord of your life if you would open up to him. Cast your cares on him for he loves you. - Jerry
Erik, I pray that you will begin to feel God's presence in your life. May He show up in unexpected and unusual ways so there will be no doubt left in your mind that you are being pursued by the "hound of heaven". I once went to church with a woman who said she was thankful not to have received any miracles in her life because that meant she was never put in the position to need a miracle. Well, Erik, whatever it takes for you to be saved, even a miracle, may it happen soon. God loves you. - Janice
Erik,
We are not trying to be mean we are just concerned about what will happen to you after this life. I know you say you don't believe in this but what if it is true. Wouldn't you rather that we be concerned and want the best for you? This is what christian love is all about. We are praying for you. - Jerry
Christ Follower - if you don't know why I have a hard time believing in nonsensical things like the so-called 'virgin birth', maybe your mom should have talked to you a little more about the 'birds 'n' the bees' ;)
But if you need me to spell it out, I don't believe in the virgin birth because:
a) It's not biologically possible. Humans need 23 PAIRS of chromosomes. You get one set from mommy and one set from daddy. When daddy fertilizes mommy's egg, the 23 chromosomes in his sperm cell merge with the 23 chromosomes in mommy's egg cell to create a zygote - which turns into a human being. For 100s of millions of years, humans have been reproducing this way. It's extremely difficult to believe ONE person (in billions and billions) was born WITHOUT sex. That a person just "popped" into a woman's woman with no explanation. Everything has an explanation. If you claimed that when you dropped a rock out the window, it went up instead of down, I'd have a hard time believing that because it goes against the fundamentals of science and nature. Thus I have a hard time believing Mary was a virgin.
b) She was married a while before she had Jesus - what no sex? EVER?? Also difficult to believe. I guess they never had any fun on their wedding night.
c) The Bible mentions (for what it's worth) some of Jesus' siblings by name (Joseph, James, Judas, Simon - Mark 6:3). Some are thought to have been older, which given they weren't the son of god too, she was no virgin.
d) Why is it important that she's a virgin? It's only in there (like walking on water, turning water into wine, etc.) to CONVINCE people he was devine. It was writtin in there, by humans, to give Jesus some "son of god" credibility. There was no way any of the (human) authors of the bible knew with any certainity that she was a virgin. Do you people know whether or not some of your co-workers are virgins or not? You do not. Certainly, the bible's authors did not know many decades later if she was or not. Again, written in for the 'spook factor'.
If it was written in the Bible that Jesus could keep his head under water for several hours without coming up for air, I wouldn't believe it either because I know that, just like today, it's not possible.
My thinking is not clouded by ancient texts, written by ignorant men 2,000 years ago. - Jonathan
Jonathan, why can't you read the Bible and get things straight? Don't you owe that to yourself? At the very least you will be able to stop saying foolish things and embarrassing yourself.
a) Nowhere in the Bible does it say Mary was a virgin after her marrage to Joseph. She was a virgin when she got pregnant with Jesus. That's all the Bible says.
b) See a.
c) Who says it is important that Mary was a virgin? It is only important in the sense that that is what the Bible reports. You got any evidence to the contrary?
We all know how babies are made. You are missing the point of the story. It is a story of a MIRACLE. That means it doesn't normally happen.
If you drop a rock out of a window and instead of letting it hit the ground, you catch it, did you just break the rules of gravity? No, you intervened. Same thing with the virgin birth (and all miracles). God intervened. And it's not hard to believe, since He invented sex, and everything else you've ever known. - Austin
"Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed(engaged) to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit." Matthew 1:18
There is your explanation.
All of Jesus' younger siblings were conceived by Joseph. That's in the Bible too.
The authors of the Bible knew these things because .."all scripture was inspired by God" "..all scripture is God-breathed." God is the author of the Bible. It was penned by those He selected.
I could argue that George Washington didn't exsist but you would say he did because the history books say so. You've never seen him or talked to him. I could argue that the atom doesn't exsist but you would say it did because the science books say so. Have you seen one?
I guarantee you that neither George Washington or the atom are going to change your life as dramatically as Jesus Christ will at some point, whether it be here on earth or at the seat of judgement.
Science offers you nothing but death and decomposition.
Jesus offers you a new body and eternal life.
- Keith R.