Good morning my students and welcome to Friday. I hope everyone is happy, healthy and warm. In Mistissini we are facing a windchill of -30 this morning so I guess we do not have to worry about umbrellas.
In Matthew 28 we read the account and a brief summary of Jesus' resurrection and the events following it. Matthew does not go into as much detail as the other gospels do, which has led to some present day abuses. I don't know if you can believe it but there is a growing number of people who call themselves Christians but who do not believe in the divinity or resurrection of Jesus. That begs the question, why bother calling yourself Christian? What could they possibly believe that would give them the desire to carry around the name of a 2000 year old dead dude? The plain fact is that Jesus was who he said he was or he and all his followers were crazy people.
Luke's gospel tells us that his account was a summary of the events; that if everything had been recorded it would have filled all the books in the world. So when people say that there was no proof they are not taking into account how many people Jesus had actually appeared to after his death. Everything about God is about faith. He has given us enough information for us to learn but not so much that we do not require faith to believe. Without faith there is nothing.
There are those who claim Jesus did not really die; that his followers rescued him from the grave because he had actually fainted. They forget that the Romans were very good at what they did. They knew the difference between a faint and a dead guy. Thus the spear in his side to make sure he was dead.
Then there are those that say Jesus never existed. It's easy to say that now, 2000 years later. Two thousand years allows for a little doubt. However, the earliest historians give testimony to the existance of Jesus the man. His name is recorded in official records. Who are we going to believe, guys who have to guess at things from two thousand years ago or the dudes who were closer to the action?
From day one people have tried to discount the ressurection of Jesus Christ. They have pushed forward opinions and lies to cover the truth. Why? Because if the gospels are true then they have been wrong and everything they have based their life on is a lie. It means they would recognize the need to acknowledge the existance of God and their need to submit to him. It would bring change and surrender. They would rather live a lie and the false sense of freedom than to receive grace, forgiveness and the realization that we need someone other than ourself.
The facts: Jesus was born of a virgin; he lived his life in service to the Father; he was arrested, tortured and killed; on the third day he left the grave behind and for days he visited people; then he ascended and now represents us before our Father. He was the first of many who will follow. He lives!
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