Today, eight days past Easter Sunday, most of us have moved on with our lives. What wonder we felt has been boxed up with our few little Easter decorations.
But in the first century it was not so. Even after three weeks, the awe was fresh.
Have you ever wondered who saw Jesus after He rose again?
Did Mary and Martha and Lazarus see Him?
What about Nicodemus?
Joseph of Arimathea, who boldly went to Pilate and requested Jesus’ mangled, dead body?
Simon the Cyrene, jerked from the crowd and forced to carry the cross when Jesus was too weak from His midnight interrogations, beatings, lashings, and lack of food?
Paul, who describes himself as “one untimely born,” writes that Jesus “appeared to more than 500 brethren at one time” (1 Corinthians 15:6). There might have been that many gathered for an early church service during those 40 days. I wish I knew.
But the facts we have are all we need to know before heaven. A crowd of 500 seeing Him all at once is a convincing proof both then and now. Too many saw Him alive in 33 A.D. for the story to be relegated to an overactive imagination, though that has been often proposed since.
What began that glorious Resurrection Sunday has continued for centuries. The testimony of Jesus continues to be passed from one generation of disciples to the next—always with the hope that those testifying of the power of Jesus to change lives are living in the last days.
But today, in the 21st century, it seems the words of Peter are becoming true: “In the last days mockers will come. … saying, ‘Where is the promise of His coming?’…all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation” (2 Peter 3:3-4, 10, 14).
Not enough of us are sharing the good news. That includes me. I’m asking God for more boldness, more awareness of who might need to hear. In our prosperity we feel little need of heaven’s hope, little urgency to keep telling the story.
But Peter urges us, “The day of the Lord will come like a thief … be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace (2 Peter 3:10-14). Even today, Jesus is manifesting Himself alive in dreams and visions reported from around the world, particularly in the Middle East.
Does hearing that report make you scoff? Are you responding in doubt as Thomas did? The prophesy from the book of Joel declares that in the last days many will dream dreams and see visions. Could it be that we are nearing the days foretold so long ago, that life will not continue as it has indefinitely?
No one knows, of course, but we dare not disbelieve and we must be alert to opportunities to talk with grace to others about the resurrected Jesus.
He is alive! Follow the example of the courageous women who first discovered this miraculous truth. Go and share with everyone you meet! Our living Savior is worth talking about!
A wonderful reminder email thank you for sharing! This is the push we needed to share! God bless, Sheri and Allen C.
AMEN and Hallelujah! May our Lord change my heart first and may every heart rejoice in the hope of his coming. May he receive the honor due his name.