“Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God — the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures regarding his Son, who as to his human nature was a descendant of David, and who through the Spirit of holiness was declared with power to be the Son of God by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 1:1-4 (NIV)
Those 1st century disciples were primarily Jewish men and women, who worshipped the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob. When they met this young man from Nazareth, they were searching for the One whom God had sent into the world to be the savior.
When Simon bar Jonas said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God” (Mt. 16:16). He was boldly claiming his conviction that God had sent Jesus to be Israel’s Messiah. At this point, his faith was only a seedling. He didn’t believe that Jesus would die for the sins of the world and be resurrected (Mt. 16:19-23). He didn’t believe that Jesus was the savior for all mankind (Acts 10:9-23; 28; 34-35). Later, Peter and all of them came to believe and preach both Christ’s deity and resurrection.
The key to our faith hinges upon these questions: Who is Jesus of Nazareth? Was he raised from the dead? Both questions are crucial issues. The biblical and historical evidence is all but undeniable that he was indeed resurrected from the dead. If he was not, why did the 1st century, Jewish religious leaders pay Roman soldiers to say that his disciples stole his body while they slept? If they were asleep, how could they possibly know what had occurred? If Jesus was not raised from the dead, why do all of hell’s forces still try to discredit it, 21 centuries later? If he was not raised from the dead, why do atheists, skeptics, and heretics form elaborate schemes trying to prove that it didn’t happen?
Jesus was raised from the dead! This answers the question of who Jesus is. His resurrection, then, means that he is alive and well. It means that he has the divine seal of approval; his life and ministry is validated. It means that believers have hope for eternity. It means that Jesus Christ is God.
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” St. John 1:1 & 14 (NIV)
Dear Father, thank you for sending your Son to us in the flesh. Even when we cannot grasp the depths of the resurrection and the deity of Christ, empower our faith with these truths. I pray this in the name of Jesus. AMEN
Be courageous today in grace and truth,