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Paul tells us that the only proof we have that Jesus is who He said He is, the only proof we have that all we believe is true, is that Jesus came out of the tomb.
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. Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.
1 Corinthians 15:14-18
Think about that for a moment. The miracles don't matter. Prophets before had done mighty miracles, but that hardly makes them the son of God or worthy to remove sins. In fact, in the last days satan will use miracles to fool the world into setting up the antichrist as God. Jesus' words, of themselves, didn't matter. Anyone could have said the words, but that doesn't make them God. The world touts many "great teachers" who spoke "wise things," but that doesn't make them God. If Jesus doesn't come out of that tomb, then He was just a liar. If Jesus doesn't come out of that tomb as He predicted, show the word to be true, it's all bologna. Everything we believe hinges on the resurrection. We don't know He was what He said till He pops up three days later.
After the crucifixion, just about everyone thought it was over. They had wasted their time. Their guy was dead. Even the apostles scattered. How's that for faith?
Certainly things were going on behind the scenes, in Heaven, Hell, spiritual places, but in our physical realm, as far as the world was concerned-- Jesus was a fraud. The Sanhedrin smugly comforted themselves in the assurity that they had proven their rightness.
But on that third day... The Earth shook. Angels appeared. Soldiers fell over, so frightened they appeared to be dead. And Jesus said, "Told ya so!"
Jesus was dead three days before anyone knew He was the Real Deal. He had trained for 30 years, ministered for three, and been murdered and in the tomb three days, and still no-one knew He was the Real Deal. People had mocked Him. Who was He to think He was all that? Real Deal? Ha! He was nothing. They had clever explanations for all His "miracles." After all, everyone knew nothing good came out His home town of Nazareth! They were all worthless trash down there! Who did He think He was? They knew His brothers! His sisters still showed up at the Sunday potluck with their lousy biscuits! Son of God? His father was a carpenter and they all knew it! Imagine the audacity! What gall! What impudence!
But on that third day... Everything changed. Suddenly, He was who He said He was and even those who had Him murdered had to realize it.
God told you something. God dropped something magnificent in your heart. It burns deep within you, keeping you up nights and filling you with wonder. Yet all those around you know better. They know you couldn't be all that. Why if God were going to bestow Himself on anyone it would be them! If God were going to give a grand vision to anyone it would be their magnificent selves or, at least, those they know are worthy.
Funny how God always seems to have His own ideas. Funny how those who are so sure they know who God is picking never seem to notice how often He picks the lowly, the downtrodden, those who for all the world everyone is convinced will never be anything. Isn't it funny how the family doesn't notice it's the ones the entire family turns against whom God picks. Ask Joseph. His brothers were so angry at what God told him, they plotted to kill him, then settled for selling him into slavery. Ask David. When Samuel the prophet showed up to anoint a king from amongst his family, they were so sure he was irrelevant they didn't even invite him to the party. Ask Jesus Himself. One day Jesus was having a meeting and His mother and brothers showed up to talk some sense into Him. Talk about people unclear on the concept!
Jesus was who He said He was.
You are who God says you are.
Far too many people, perhaps the majority, wipe-out listening to the contrary voices, and never come into what God intended. "Many are called, but few are chosen." Don't let that happen to you.
Don't listen to them. Don't believe them. What they say does not matter. All that matters is what God said. He is the final authority. If you are a Christian, and the Holy Spirit bears witness to the Word with your spirit you know it is God. You "know that you know that you know." It is futile running around trying to prove it to anyone. It does you no good wishing for just one person to believe in you, just one to acknowledge you, just one to see that it's true. Don't worry about it. Just do your thing. Just do that which God has lead you to do. Just be that which God has lead you to be. (Phil 3:13-14)
If it took three days of death to prove Jesus was the Real Deal why should you waste your life energy trying to prove to anyone that you are as well? Take a tip from the saints who have gone before, just be the Real Deal God has made you, and let Him deal with the rest.
(W)hosoever shall gather together against thee shall fall for thy sake.
Isaiah 55:15
For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men.
1 Peter 2:15
(Romans 10:9, John 3:17, John 5:24, John 1:12)
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