Luke 24:10 It was Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, and other women that were with them, which told these things unto the apostles. 11 And their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they believed them not.
Imagine: The report of the resurrection of our Lord seemed to the apostles as an idle tale which they did not believe! How bizarre is that?
Who could conceive Peter, James and John, who had witnessed Jesus transfigured before their sleepy eyes, disbelieving that Christ rose from the dead, just as He promised.
Nathaniel, Philip and Matthew, who had seen Him raise a young man from the dead right out of a coffin, Lazarus from a tomb and Jairus' daughter from her death bed, didn't even believe that Jesus came back to life Himself.
Yet, there are men of religion today, teachers who impact the lives of future pastors in their seminaries, who don't believe in the bodily resurrection of Jesus from the dead. They will send them into liberal pulpits to preach on social justice, denying that Jesus came forth bodily from the tomb.
At least the disciples soon got their eyes opened and it changed them from cowering wimps to powerful, unstoppable heralds of Christ's resurrection power.
The physical resurrection of Jesus is the keystone of Christian belief. If Christ be not risen from the dead, then we are of all men, most miserable!
He is risen indeed! He was seen of the women, of the apostles, of 500 brethren at once and is experienced in the redeemed hearts and changed lives of millions these many centuries later.
Several years ago, preacher Alfred H. Ackley was preparing for church as he heard a liberal preacher on the radio denying the bodily resurrection of Christ. He was so taken aback by the liberal's blatant infidelity that he cut himself shaving. Presently, he grabbed a pen and paper and wrote the powerful Christian anthem:
I serve a risen Savior, He's in the world today. I know that He is living, whatever men may say. I see His hand of mercy, I hear His voice of cheer. And just the time I need Him, He's always near.
He lives, He lives! Christ Jesus lives today. He walks with me and He talks with me Along life's narrow way. He lives, He lives! Salvation to impart, You ask me how I know He lives, He lives within my heart.
In all the world around me I see His loving care, And though my heart grows weary I never will despair. I know that He is leading though all the stormy blast; The day of His appearing will come at last.
Rejoice, rejoice, O Christian! Lift up your voice and sing, Eternal hallelujahs to Jesus Christ the King! The Hope of all who seek Him, the Help of all who find, None other is so loving, so good and kind.
1 comment:
That was one of my mother's favorite hymns!!! She sang it often to us.
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