John 11:25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?”
Have you ever been the person who had to see something before they believed it? Naturally, we are skeptics, and it is good to some degree to be able to properly assess situations and people. We learned this rather easily with our friends growing up. In Junior High Basketball, the cool thing was to be able to slap the bottom of the backboard when doing a lay up or to touch the bottom of the net. What lofty goals we had back then! Of course, everyone would talk their game until we actually got on the court and were put to the test. Many were all talk including myself sometimes, yet a few backed up their words with their actions leaving everyone else mesmerized and wanting to say “I believe you now.”
As I have been studying through the Gospels during the past few weeks, fresh realities have been flowing from the Word. In John 2:19 Christ spoke, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”The Jews were confounded, because the actual temple in Jerusalem had taken 46 years to rebuild. They questioned and didn’t understand that Jesus was speaking about his body. These words were weighty, and the full reality of them had not been realized. He even told his disciples on the night of His betrayal, “But after I have been raised, I will go ahead of you to Galilee” (Matthew 26:32). The possibilities seemed to be more impossible with each passing moment. He was betrayed by Judas, arrested, treated with injustice, and the disciples hope of a reigning King seemed to be lost.
During Christ’s first trial, he told Annas, “I have spoken openly to the world; I always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where all the Jews come together; and I spoke nothing in secret (John 18:20). Jesus didn’t hide anything. He didn’t have anything to hide. When Caiaphas, the high priest, questioned if He was the Son of God, Jesus answered, “You have said it yourself; nevertheless I tell you, hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven” (Matthew 26:64). During the forth trial, Pilate asked Him if he was the King of the Jews. Jesus responded, “You say correctly that I am a king. For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice” (John 18:37). Have you heard his voice? He spoke these words just a few hours before He was crucified for God’s glory and our redemption.
Almost five years ago, I would have told you this was a true story and that I believed what Jesus said in theory. Being raised in a home that feared God, I grew up hearing these truths over and over. Like the Jews, I was a skeptic and kept church at a distance from the daily realities of life. Work, play, and church were at times compartmentalized. After a while, simple truths, straight forward answers and conviction began to infiltrate my heart as I realized that I could not shake the claims of this Man of Galilee. Finally, I surrendered and God’s grace and peace flooded my soul. With this new life, I have seen my love for sin and the things of the world diminish. Jesus is all I need to live everyday.
Just as He promised, Jesus met His disciples in Galilee after being raised from the dead. He gathered His flock, promised them the power of the Spirit and ascended to Heaven. While the disciples watched, the angels asked, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven” (Acts 1:11) Ten days later in an upper room praying, the church was given power and men stood with boldness and wisdom from above proclaiming the glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ!
Although the basketball courts will be watched by millions today with the beginning of March madness, Psalms 84:10 reminds us, “For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.”No longer am I mesmerized by mere men slapping back boards and hanging on rims to show their talents, but on Christ who hung on a cross and rose again to save the souls of men. God proved His love through giving His Son. I believe Him now. Can I get a witness?
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