A Message for everyone

A Faith Based on Facts

Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen: To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God: ( Acts 1:2–3 )

Christianity is not a feel-good belief system that asks you to accept some misguided fairy tale. It is based on reliable and documented evidence of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, thereby justifying His claims and promises. Granted there is an element of faith that is required to believe, but it is based on the clear facts.

Yet going back to the earliest centuries, there have been those who have suggested that Jesus never rose from the dead. Some have said it was a hoax, while others have said the disciples were just hallucinating. But Luke, writing about what he had seen, said that Jesus “presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God” (Acts 1:3).

The word Luke used for “seen” could be translated “eyeballed.” The disciples “eyeballed” the risen Lord. Here was Jesus, who had been crucified and put to death. And He didn’t just appear once or twice—He was popping up everywhere. Five hundred people saw him on a single occasion. That is no mass hallucination; that is evidence.

If this were a hoax the apostles dreamed up, certainly one of them would have broken ranks and admitted it. But they all died the death of a martyr except John, who survived an execution attempt and was banished to the island of Patmos. Not one of them broke ranks, because they could not deny what they knew was true.

Jesus was alive. They had seen Him. They eyeballed Him. It transformed their lives, and they had to share the gospel message with others. They were real people just like you and me. Yet God used them to change the world.

As of this present time, as Christians, we should believe firmly based on the written word of God which is the Bible, even though we did not see Him personally as they were and should be reminded of what Jesus said to Thomas in the book of John chapter 20 verse 29 “Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed [are] they that have not seen, and [yet] have believed.