Mountains Ahead

 

Photo by Ernest Malimon on Unsplash

Scenario: A new Christian, looking at the future with many pitfalls and new commands that still aren't clear. Each of those high points are the goals, the rifts hold shadows and unknowns. How is this landscape transited without injury? Especially with so many differing beliefs dividing Christianity.

The best answer is to check the Bible for a reality check, especially God's promises. One of my favorites is the 23rd Psalm. The Pulpit Commentary says:

"THIS little psalm is an idyll of great beauty, describing the peace and calm delight which dwell with one whose trust is wholly in God. David's authorship, asserted in the title, is highly probable; but we cannot fix the poem to any special period in his lifetime; we can only say that he is beyond the days of boyhood ... His thoughts are happy thoughts—he lacks nothing; he has no fear; God's mercy and goodness are with him; and he feels assured that they will continue with him all the days of his life."

King David ruled Israel after their first king, Saul, about 1010–970 BCE. Luke wrote of David:

And when he had removed him, he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will. (Acts 13:22 KJV)

Luke was quoting from the Old Testament, when Samuel told Saul he was to be replaced, and why:

And Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly: thou hast not kept the commandment of the LORD thy God, which he commanded thee: for now would the LORD have established thy kingdom upon Israel for ever. But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the LORD hath sought him a man after his own heart, and the LORD hath commanded him to be captain over his people, because thou hast not kept that which the LORD commanded thee. (1 Samuel 13:13-14 KJV)

From the Bible we learn that David failed God, too, and pled his case to God in prayer:

Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest. (Psalms 51:2-4 KJV)

The Bible not only contains what we are supposed to do - there are innumerable examples of people going against God's will, along with the consequences of their action. For example, multiple wives created multiple family problems. In the beginning God created a man and a woman to be his helpmate. Soon men took multiple wives and were unfaithful. Women were, too. Jesus confirmed God's original plan:

And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. (Matthew 19:4-6 KJV)

These are only two examples of what you find in the way of threads running through all the scriptures. Christians are followers of a Jew, accepting Him as the Messiah that Judaism does not accept. Jesus fulfilled the messianic prophecies - according to Jesus' followers. While some Jews accept that, the majority continue to wait and watch. In many ways, Judaism is as divided as Christianity, but there is one promise I've found God has kept:

Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. (Jeremiah 29:12-13 KJV)

For a Christian, Jesus laid it out simply to Nicodemus - a very educated religious leader who didn't understand at first:

And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. (John 3:14-18 KJV)

That is the gospel - the good news for everyone on earth when it was spoken, and just as true today. How can we tell? It has to be by believing, having faith:

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:8-10 KJV)

Works are not necessary to be saved, but good works are a result of our faith and are an indication that we have accepted God's gift of salvation. Works without faith cannot save, however works are the outward sign of our faith. The works are the result of following the two commandments Jesus confirmed:

Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. (Matthew 22:37-40 KJV)

Imagine, keeping God's law simply by loving God, and all mankind. Yes - that last is the hard one. I know you can come up with an example of someone you cannot possibly love. Yes - you may not love what they do, but we must love the fact they, too, have an immortal soul that needs God. We are all called to share that love. That's the mountain top. God will protect us in the valley's shadows as we learn:

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. (Matthew 11:28-30 KJV)

Third Day

 

Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

Matthew wrote:

But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. (Matthew 12:39-40 KJV)

Mark wrote:

For he taught his disciples, and said unto them, The Son of man is delivered into the hands of men, and they shall kill him; and after that he is killed, he shall rise the third day. But they understood not that saying, and were afraid to ask him. (Mark 9:31-32 KJV)

There were verses relating that Jesus could rebuild the Temple in three days, but still John wrote:

For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead. (John 20:9 KJV)

To us today, it's obvious. Jesus died on a cross, buried in a borrowed tomb, and on the third day:

In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre. And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it. His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow: And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men. And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. (Matthew 28:1-6 KJV)

'Was crucified," past tense; "is risen," present tense. He remains the risen Lord, Savior  of mankind according to God's plan.

That's a good Christian greeting - excellent on Resurrection morning, still valid today: He is risen, He is risen indeed.

It's important to Christians to truly believe this, as Paul explains:

And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not. For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. (1 Corinthians 15:14-17 KJV)

It is essential, as stated plainly in John 3:16-18, belief in Jesus is necessary for a relationship with God. Belief in Jesus requires accepting what He says about himself:

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him. Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us. Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father? Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake. (John 14:6-11 KJV)

Desolation's Defeat Is Hope

 

Detail of Romanesque crucifixion group at Seckau Basilica, Styria, Austria

After the crucifixion came the Sabbath. There is no mention of what Jesus' disciples did. The last action was taken by Nicodemus and Joseph: 

And after this Joseph of Arimathaea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, besought Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus: and Pilate gave him leave. He came therefore, and took the body of Jesus. And there came also Nicodemus, which at the first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound weight. Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury. (John 19:38-40 KJV)

The last we heard of Peter, he had denied Jesus three times in the courtyard, ended up weeping. John, a bit earlier, had been given charge to take care of Mary. I like to think he took that charge seriously and was seeing after her. The others remained in Jerusalem, we know that from John 20. But where they were on that last day of the week, we have no scriptures.

Left to my own imagination, I think they were empty, barren, with a future that was bleak and dismal. All the definitions of desolate. They had seen their hopes, their faith, their future die on a cross at the hands of both Jews and Romans. The fishermen could go back to their boats - what would Matthew do? Would he be accepted back as a tax collector? We cannot know what their conversations were, what plans were discussed, but most of us know how impossible it is to think realistically after a devastating loss.

Some of us may have been among those whose faith was so tested that it seemed non-existent. Others have consoled or counseled with love dear friends/relatives who have been there. Many seem left in that desolation. We should be able to tell them about what happened to change the outlook when we hear the continuation of the story:

And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it. His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow: And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men. (Matthew 28:2-4 KJV)

Roman soldiers were the first to face the Resurrection. They were shaken in fear, but they were the last to be afraid. The next group were women:

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. And their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they believed them not. Then arose Peter, and ran unto the sepulchre; and stooping down, he beheld the linen clothes laid by themselves, and departed, wondering in himself at that which was come to pass. (Luke 24:10-12 KJV)

According to John, they still did not understand they had seen prophecy fulfilled:

For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead. (John 20:9 KJV)

That same day, in the evening, ten of the disciples gathered and met with the risen Lord:

Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord. Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: (John 20:19-22 KJV)

The most important part of this story is what we do with what we've been told. There is no historical proof that Jesus did/didn't die on the cross except what happened in that first century following His resurrection. I hope you have no doubt that I believe He died on the cross and the Resurrection took place the first day of the following week. For the next century such an open belief meant death. Here in the 21st century it often means derision. For two thousand years in between, many died for this belief. Sadly, some claiming this belief killed others because they didn't. For the greater portion, the majority shared this belief with love for their neighbor.

Christians' faith out loves desolation. We gather in prayer to comfort those who feel there is no hope, for it has been defined for us:

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1 KJV)

We know this because of the men who continued writing of their experiences, as had been done before:

For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. (Romans 15:4 KJV)

Celebrating Easter

 

The graphic is a markup from a recent Lifeway Research article. The article stated:

Two-thirds of U.S. adults (66%) say the biblical accounts of the physical resurrection of Jesus are completely accurate. They believe this event actually occurred, according to the 2022 State of Theology study. Fewer than a quarter (23%) disagree, and 11% say they’re not sure.

The article's next paragraphs breaks down which groups/ages fall into what categories. The article then moves on to show that such a belief does not mean those who accept the physical resurrection of Jesus are not moved by that belief to apply it to their lives. While I cannot disagree with their survey results our their conclusions, I do have an opinion on why it matters to me.

Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them. (Luke 24:1 KJV)

Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. (John 20:19 KJV)

And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight. (Acts 20:7 KJV)

The Resurrection occured the first day of the week, as did the meeting of Jesus' disciples where He joined them, as did the the early Christians who listened to Paul preach to them. We do the same thing that Christians have done since the Resurrection in remembrance of that day and it's meaning.

Paul wrote of its importance:

Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not. (1 Corinthians 15:12-15 KJV)

Christianity would be no different from any other followers of a teacher of good if Jesus died on the cross and the story ended. However, the first day of the week, which we call Sunday, made all the difference to His message of love God and our fellow man - Jesus walked out of the tomb and met with His followers. Not everyone believed that. Apparently there were members of the church at Corinth who did not believe that. Members of the Sanhedrin did not believe, though members of the Pharisee did. Paul had been a Pharisee, and he had seen the risen Jesus on the road to Damascus. There was no question in his mind that the Resurrection changed everything.

For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. (1 Corinthians 15:16-19 KJV)

May I confirm that Christians are not miseerable? Yes, we may have serious troubles in our lives, but they are handled with a hope that really is eternal. So, what are we supposed to do about it? The New Testament was written to give the full answer to that question, but I also like a specific:

Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. (Hebrews 10:23-25 KJV)

What I do is gather with other believers in a variety of meetings - the first is Sunday morning in a classroom environment to learn about specific Bible verses/stories/exhortations. An hour later we come together as a church congregation to sing praises, worshipping God, and hearing a message from His word that we may apply to our own lives.

This coming Sunday I will be in that congregation celebrating the Resurrection, acknowleding our faith in Jesus Christ as the Son of God, the fulfillment of prophecies, and God's plan for mankind:

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. (John 3:16-18 KJV)