I do not know if you are aware of this or not…but…
A lot of people say, “I believe in the resurrection; I just don’t understand it.”
George Gallup did a poll that said 84 percent of people who “never go to church” believe Jesus rose from the dead.
Obviously, the percentage rises with active involvement in the life of the church.
It is historical fact; it wasn’t done in secret. It all “came down” in real time.
The whole city of Jerusalem and the whole Roman Empire knew about it. It was news. Big news. Noteworthy news.
If CNN/Fox News/ABC/CBS/NBC had been there, they would have had it “live.”
Social Media would have been all over it.
It would have been “all we heard about.” …And, as always, they would have had “complete coverage” – meaning…covering it “from every angle possible.”
Probably ad nauseum…
The neighbors, the lepers, the lame, the blind, the people from the great feeding, the prostitute, Mary, Mary Magdalene, Peter, James and John, Salome, they would have “all” been interviewed and had their “15 minutes of fame.”
Just how long did you know, Jesus?
Where did you meet?
What was your relationship like?
What did he say to you?
How did he heal you?
What did others say about him?
What happened next?
Where did this event happen at?
Were there other witnesses present?
There are at least 15 historical references to Jesus meeting people, touching people, and talking with people “after” he had been crucified.
One time he cooked breakfast for some people.
One time he talked to about 500 people after he had risen from the dead.
A whole lot of people saw him. A lot of people could have given testimony.
There were a whole lot of people who could have been individually interviewed for “their take” on the “resurrection”…and on “Jesus’ various appearances…”
You might say, it has “withstood the test of time.”
2,000 years later and the “resurrection-event” is still being preached and talked about…it has not stopped.
But what does his resurrection “mean?”
I think it is probably safe to say – that it means three things: Jesus is who he claimed to be; Jesus (obviously) has the power he claimed to have; and Jesus “did” what he promised to do.
Dependent who you read, Jesus did not make outlandish claims for himself. In a shame and honor society “such as his” one could not really make those kinds of claims.
“The Son of Man” is what he preferred to be called. He was one with all humanity. He came among us, to be one with us. And yet, we know he was “God’s poster boy” for a beloved son…
He was perfect. He was sinless. He was meek. He was mild. He was loving, caring and forgiving. He embodied love.
Everything he did, he attributed to his Father. God acted through him and in him. He was truly God/truly man, like the creeds say.
And when it came “to power,” his power – who can do, who is capable of the kinds of things he did?
Go ahead, feed the multitudes, walk on water, change water to wine, heal the sick, restore sight to the blind, make lepers-clean, free the demon possessed, raise the dead…calm the storms, quiet the winds…he had the power he claimed to have had. And, he still does…
He is the power from on high…
He has the power of God…
He is indeed the Son of the Most High God.
And his promises are sure. When he says, “Truly today you will be with me in Paradise” – bank on it. When he says, “Lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age” – count on it, believe it!
When he says, “He knows his own and his own know him” – it is a word of truth.
“Word”-“Solid”
And when Jesus said he was going back to the Father…he did. When he promised the “Holy Spirit” he followed through. No one was abandoned. No one was left alone.
His promises are sure. His word is good. He is who he said he was.
Today, we gather in worship and in praise, of our God…our God who has done wondrous things…and is indeed still doing wondrous things…and continues to do them…our God with whom, nothing is impossible…including, raising Jesus from the dead.
It is this same God who beckons and calls to you, this morning. Answer him, please!
Amen.