Tag: John 11:25
The Truth of Jesus Alive
Scripture reading for May 2: John 20
“On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent Me, even so I am sending you.” And when He had said this, He breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness for any, it is withheld.”” John 20:19-23
The resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead is foundational to our world view as believers. If Jesus did not raise from the dead, we have no hope of resurrection ourselves. (1 Corinthians 15:14) But in fact, Jesus did raise and God’s Word is recorded for us as truth about this fact. Jesus had proclaimed many times that He would be raised from the dead on the third day. He had raised Lazarus from the dead (John 11:43-44) after four days as a demonstration that He was the “Resurrection and the Life” (John 11:25). After the crucifixion and resurrection, Jesus appeared to the disciples many times and invited them to touch Him and His wounds. He ate with them and instructed them further concerning their mission.
Jesus spoke peace over the disciples’ troubled hearts as they had been in fear for their lives. He repeated His call on their lives, sending them to a lost world to proclaim the Gospel and call all to repentance. He breathed on them a spiritual anointing of the Holy Spirit and gave them authority to proclaim forgiveness of sins or to withhold forgiveness for the unrepentant. They would share His mission and have His anointing to accomplish His world-wide vision to reach all mankind. Their witness is the reason we are still proclaiming Jesus as raised from the dead and King of kings!
If you doubt, have you humbly asked Jesus to have proof that He is alive from the dead? Have you examined the eye-witness reports of those who saw Jesus alive following the crucifixion? Are you going to the world you live in with the message that Jesus is alive?
Prayer: Father God, I rejoice in the resurrection of Your Son, Jesus Christ! Thank You for the Word that proclaims this truth through the prophesies of Scripture and the eye-witnesses. Thank You for giving me the Holy Spirit to confirm to me personally that Jesus is alive and that I belong to Your family! Amen.