Pastor,
There are some preachers who say that Jesus just fainted on the cross and that the disciples nursed Him back to health. What do you think?
Sincerely,
“Bewildered”
Her Pastor answered:
Dear “Bewildered,”
Start by torturing those preachers for hours with a cat-of-nine-tails with 39 heavy strokes, give them a crown of thorns, make them drag a piece of wood that weighs the same as a tree trunk on their shoulders through a mob scene in the middle of a large city, drive spikes through their wrists and feet to secure them to a cross, hang them in the sun for six hours, then run a spear through their side. Tell them their family, including their mother, and friends that they must watch all this take place. Then after all this, put them in an airless tomb for 36 hours and see what happens.
Seattle Pastor and author Bruce Larson said, "The events of Easter cannot be reduced to a doctrine or philosophy. We are not asked to believe the doctrine of the resurrection. We are asked to meet this person raised from the dead. In faith, we move from belief in a doctrine to the knowledge of a person. Ultimate truth is a person. We met him. He is alive."
Look at how God shows Himself as powerful over everything and how He is in full control.
Jesus took all the questions and verbal abuse from the Pharisees and then showed the world that God is the true source of knowledge and wisdom.
Jesus withstood the Roman justice system and showed the world exactly who is the judge for ALL people.
Jesus withstood the beating, mockery, abuse, and shame of Roman torture to prove He is willing and more than worthy to accept our sin.
Jesus willingly accepted and carried His cross on His abused body through the streets of Jerusalem to the place of death the same He willingly carries our sin in front of the world to a place where sin is eternally forgiven.
Jesus showed Himself more powerful than the nails that held Him to the Cross by dying in our place for our sin. Jesus became our sin for us. Jesus became the sacrifice for our sin. Jesus accepted the death we deserved so we would have life.
God showed Himself Mighty over death and Jesus showed Himself victorious over sin because the tomb could not hold Him in.
“My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20 NLT)
The cross is empty.
The tomb is empty.
Rejoice! Jesus is Alive!
Now go and tell.
