Jesus was sentenced
to death. We all know that death is the
end-goal of corporal punishment. Jesus’
death sentence was excruciating and final.
He was tortured and pronounced dead!
Executed! Don’t take my word for
it or even the Holy Bible’s; history books say it happened! Here is my point in the form of a
question: Why is it that death is such a
large part of Jesus’ story? The answer
lies within the unexplainable! Scripture and historical writers tell us that
Jesus came back to life three days after his death and appeared to many people. This
story put the leaders and military men involved with the responsibility and details
of this important execution into a frenzy- as they tried to sort out and
contain the situation. People are still
in a frenzy about Jesus’ life and death, even today!
All these years later we clearly see that this unbelievable
story in history did several things: it fulfilled
ancient Jewish prophesy, it opened up the revelation that death is not final,
and it pointed the way to something other-worldly-a power that can conquer
death-and asked the world to believe in the unexplainable. As a side-note, I always enjoy tying our
universe and scripture together because to believe in the unfathomable planets,
stars and galaxies out beyond our vision and our skies provides a great opening
or floodgate really, that begs for a belief in an all-powerful creator-or in
the least- in an indescribable creation.
Interestingly, one of Jesus’ teachings was this: “Blessed
are those who believe in what they can’t see.” If you believe in our
universe and all the planets you’ve studied as a child- then you, indeed, believe
in things you cannot see- so the ability to believe in the intangible is
something you ARE capable of doing and there is validity in doing so. Now,
the question in regards to life after death is the next step!
Why did the story of Jesus death include an unbelievable
account of him coming back to life again? And, why was it pivotal that Jesus
over-throw death? I think we all get so
hung up on a human coming back to life that we forget we have a destiny with
death (though hopefully of natural causes not an execution). Once we decide to look at our death sentence
and compare it with Jesus’ - we actually may find “some correlation and some hope”
and THAT is exactly the purpose of ancient writings that predicted Jesus’ life
and the very reason he came to earth to begin with; to give humanity HOPE.
Jesus said:
“Fear not, for I have overcome the world.”
John 16:33
“Fear not, for I have overcome the world.”
John 16:33
The world he is referencing is full of decay. Life is birthed, immediately begins to age
and sooner or later death comes when this unpreventable and decisive decay has
completed it’s job. We all have a
destiny with death; that one great appointment that we simply can’t elude. With that truth standing ever-present it seems
like a divine plan to have a belief system that gives us a way to outwit death.
What an intriguing line of thought and hypothesis of hope - but even beyond that-what
an amazing validation of scripture, being that all of this was written about in
ancient texts that have with-stood the test of time and intense scrutiny.
It excites me that there is a belief system that gives us a
way to over-come death. Jesus was the human example that it can be done. Here is a crucial question: Do you see the gift in that? This ONE hope
allows us to open ourselves up to the possibility of “something beyond this
life”. It gives us the opportunity to
seek the truth of what could be. Jesus’
birth, life, teachings and death sets itself up to provide quite a few pieces
of information that fits perfectly in to the puzzle-of-life that the Holy Bible
references and that is unfinished for each of us-till death takes us off the
earthly plane and into the unknown. What then???
Jesus taught us that there is an eternal plan for each of us
and he flat-out said that his teachings were and are the gateway to God. If we take other puzzle pieces, such as the
indisputable Intelligent Design of our universe and piece that together with divine
writings that states in Genesis that "God created the heavens and the earth" and that also prophesied that there would be a savior that would conquer
death….we have ourselves an intriguing opportunity to ponder the fate of
humanity…but more importantly, the fate of our own personal life and inevitable
death!
Bear with me as I write out an amazing summary from Jesus' very own words about his purpose on earth detailed in John 12: 44-50
"When a man believes in me, he does not believe in me only, but in the one who sent me. When he looks at me, he sees the one who sent me. I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness. As for the person who hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge him. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save it. There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; that very word which I spoke will condemn him at the last day. For I did not speak of my own accord, but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and how to say it. I know that his command leads to eternal life. So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say."
Bear with me as I write out an amazing summary from Jesus' very own words about his purpose on earth detailed in John 12: 44-50
"When a man believes in me, he does not believe in me only, but in the one who sent me. When he looks at me, he sees the one who sent me. I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness. As for the person who hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge him. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save it. There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; that very word which I spoke will condemn him at the last day. For I did not speak of my own accord, but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and how to say it. I know that his command leads to eternal life. So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say."
May you find the feasible faith to believe it or, perhaps,
enough need in your life to ponder it! God, himself, will give you the hope to
perceive it! I will pray that you
receive it, in Jesus name!
Amen and Amen.
Jesus taught this:
*“I am the way the truth and the life; no one comes to the Father
except through me.”
John 14:6
John 14:6
Jesus’ statements and His follow-up question:
“I am the resurrection and the life.
He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives
and believes in me will never die. Do
you believe this?”
John 11: 25-26
John 11: 25-26
Scripture says:
“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”
Jeremiah 29:13
“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”
Jeremiah 29:13
“Godliness with contentment is great gain;
for we brought nothing into this world
and we can take nothing out.”
1st Timothy 6: 6-7
for we brought nothing into this world
and we can take nothing out.”
1st Timothy 6: 6-7
Song Recommendation:
Worth
By: Anthony Brown
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