Sunday, April 23, 2006

What does it take to save the World? (Part 2)

Whether its Jack Bauer's ability to interrogate, his special weapons skills, his mental toughness and physical endurance, his perseverance to function at a high level without sleep, his tactical expertise, his ability to navigate through the bureaucracy of the CTU, or his willingness to die for the cause, Jack has proven season after season that he is qualified for the job.

If someone was going to claim to be God, they would have to be able to prove it with some overwhelming evidence. In John 15:11 Jesus said, "Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves." What miracles did Jesus do? He turned water into wine, healed people of their diseases and deformities, raised people from the dead, fed the multitudes on two fishes and five loaves of bread, cast demons out of people, walked on water, calmed storms, preached with authority, and lived a sinless life. Aposle John said, "Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written (John 21:25).

Incredible! However, to me the greatest evidence that Jesus is God is his resurrection after his death. Lord Caldecote, former Chief Justice of England said, "The claims of Jesus Christ, namely his resurrection, has led me as often as I have tried to examine the evidence to believe it as a fact beyond dispute."

Not even the magicians David Blaine or David Copperfield would think about attempting such a feat. Could you imagine them having a show where they invited the audience to bring their favorite weapon of death. They would never say, "Kill me audience and after three days I will rise from the dead." That is insane. Death is the great equalizer. It reminds everyone of us that we are mortal and that we have limitations. If you play with death, you lose.

We know from our law system that in order to prove your case, you must have credible witnesses. The testimonies of the witnesses is the major part of the evidence. In 1 Corinthians 15:3-8 Apostle Paul says, "For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, (4) that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, (5) and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. (6) After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. (7) Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, (8) and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born. Wow! There were over 500 witnesses to Jesus' resurrection.

Apostle Paul goes on to write in 1 Corinthians 15:14-15, 30-32, "(14) And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. (15) More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. (30) And as for us, why do we endanger ourselves every hour? (31) I die every day—I mean that, brothers—just as surely as I glory over you in Christ Jesus our Lord. (32) If I fought wild beasts in Ephesus for merely human reasons, what have I gained? If the dead are not raised, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.”

Not only did Apostle Paul preach about the resurrection of Jesus, he was willing to be executed for his message and faith. Apostle Paul was so convinced that Jesus' resurrection was real, he could face death without fear. He said if there is no resurrection, then we have no hope after death. And if we have no hope after death, then we might as well try to eat and drink our troubles away. I find it interesting that many Americans are living like this today.

Jesus' miracles, his witnesses, and most of all his ability to conquer death, proves to all with overwhelming evidence that he is God. He hung upon the cross, the Roman's favorite instrument of death, and conquered the two things that have kept humanity in bondage and fear--sin and death. I will leave you with a quote from G.B. Hardy about the resurrection of Jesus:

"There are but two essential requirements: first: Has any one cheated death and proved it? Second: Is it available to me? Here is the complete record. Confucius’tomb—occupied, Buddha’s tomb—occupied, Mohammed’s tomb—occupied, Jesus’ tomb—empty. Argue as you will. There is no point in following a loser."

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