THE STORY OF JESUS: Matthew 27:62-66
“His disciples may steal the body and say he has been raised from the dead.” (Matthew 27:64)
How do you fake someone coming back to life, especially when their death was public.
And even if they did make it all up, would it be a lie they’d be willing to die for?
I think of Chuck Colson’s testimony (worked with Nixon during Watergate, served time in jail).
He knew from experience how quickly fellow ‘liars’ buckle under pressure to save themselves.
All of the disciples faced persecution, violence and death for their claims.
Pressure may lead someone to recant on the truth, but to be willing to die for a lie?????
The disciples met the risen Jesus, and it changed their lives!!!!
‘You ask me how I know he lives… He lives within my heart!’
I have also met and experienced the risen Jesus, and He has changed my life.
People may laugh, and accuse me of perpetuating an illusion, or an hoax.
But maybe, as in “The Matrix”, they are living in the illusion, the hoax.
Believing the resurrection is like taking the ‘red pill’, it will open your eyes.
It will not make life easier, and many will turn against you for it.
But the hope of Jesus alive is better than the hopelessness of Jesus dead.
What do you sense the Lord saying to you?
PRAYER
Lord, continue to make Your living presence real to me, especially in times when the illusion of despair tries to suck the life out of my hope.
And so the plot continues.
The pharisees request to seal the tomb and place a guard should the body be stolen by His followers. Once again the religious leaders try to take the matters into their own hands. They are in charge so they thought. They wanted to create their own world and we still try to do today. All this is futile. We are the children of Adan and Eve until God comes along to redeem us and resurrect us – to put us back together.
We can never ever thwart the plans of God.
He is in control.
His will be done.
Thank You Lord for our redemption.
Have Thine own way, Lord,
Have Thine own way;
Thou art the Potter,
I am the clay.
Mould me and make me
After Thy will,
While I am waiting,
Yielded and still.