Good Monday morning! This week, way back in about 33A.D., a very different kind of week began. A bit earlier, Lazarus had been raised from death by Jesus. People might have wondered about that dead guy hanging about. Lazarus might have been a little stunned by what happened. But this new week was even more different and amazing than that... Jesus was alive!
Eyewitness reports began to come in to Disciple HQ, and the instructions from Mary came to those beginning to come back together after scattering to the four winds, "Go to Galilee, I will already be there!" A dead guy said that he would meet them there? Understandably, that left a few of them, especially Thomas, with some doubts. Was someone trying to have fun at their expense?
We know how Thomas had his doubts erased by the physical presence of a very much alive Lord and Savior. This week was certainly like no other before it. From the eyewitness reports in Acts, we learn that Jesus made occasional appearances for 40 days; hundreds of people in total saw the risen Lord. Of course the thing to do is to dismiss all that as religious hysteria, tall tales, and myths... much like the smart folks of this world like to do. Why are some so eager to dismiss eyewitness accounts of people from long ago?
Actually, we learn in this life to be a bit skeptical of many things right now. Thomas was one of us. He heard something hard to believe and wanted concrete proof. We have a choice: believe in Jesus or don't. You can pray for the same proof as Thomas; Jesus might even grant it, but you had better be ready for a life changing experience if you do. The most likely scenario is that you will still need to make the choice based only on faith. "Blessed are those who do not see and still believe." Jesus told the gathered disciples. Those of us in this skeptical, cynical age who will still believe have received a blessing from our Lord Jesus. I'll take a blessing from Jesus over any amount of gold or cash in this world.
We came from sinners in the hands of an angry God to believers forgiven in the hands of a loving Jesus, and we did nothing to deserve this change. Jesus rose again to prove our hope. A Sabbath as dark or darker than any the disciples had ever experienced, gave way to a glorious time of fellowship with a risen Savior. The first thing that Jesus commanded was to give him a hundred push-ups; He had to get those disciples in shape! No, our Lord's first command was to wait for the Holy Spirit; and the new life began for those who would believe.
Praise God for the new life!
Bucky
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