Nov 5 — Acts 26:1-11

SCRIPTURE: Acts 26:1-11

OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
It seems that for Paul, the heart of his message, the hope of all of Israel, “the promise the twelve tribes are hoping to see fulfilled as they earnestly serve God day and night” is the resurrection of Jesus. All religions speak have their worship, their ethics, their hopes for life beyond death, but only Jesus actually came back from death. to prove His claims, and there were many witnesses to this event (1 Corinthians 15:1-8). This is our greatest need, to somehow break the cycle of death, to discover the “fountain of youth”. People of all faiths die, how do we know which one is right? For Paul, the resurrection of Jesus was the proof that His message was THE message of life, the way, the truth.

The challenge for us is to believe it, even though we have not seen it. (John 20:29). But the evidence of the dramatic life-change in the disciples is certainly compelling. Why else would they risk death, unless they were certain of what they had seen. Why else would Paul turn his back on His upbringing so radically? If the resurrection was a hoax, would Jesus’ followers have been willing to suffer and die for something they made up?

PRAYER:
Lord, it is harder to believe something I haven’t seen. Thank You for the testimony of Paul and the other disciples, who were willing to die for what they had seen, as foolish as it sounded to others. Inspire me to speak as boldly as them! Amen.