The Risen Christ

The Risen Christ
The apostle Luke writing in his second book the book of Acts states,
“In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach  until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen.  
After his suffering, he showed himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God.” Acts 1:1-3
What Luke notes that Jesus after his resurrection appeared to his followers over a period of forty days.
This to my way of thinking must be true. For the simple fact that if it were not, the lie would hurt the very people Luke wishing to help.
Certainly believers in Christ Jesus to this day believe Jesus was raised from the dead walked on the earth and ascended into heaven. It is a core belief of all who call themselves Christ followers.
It is something each person when confronted with Jesus Christ must decide for themselves.
There are a lot of things we as believers in Christ Jesus believe that the individual must consider. Things that require faith.
The apostle Paul writes,
"Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?  
For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe.  
Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom,  but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.  For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength.” 1Corinthians 1:18-25.
Looked at from a purely human prospective what Christians believe seems unbelievable. Yet it is true.
To the human mind the best way for God to get followers would be to show Himself in a miraculous way. This however would not necessarily produce true believers. Many people would simply believe because they feared what God could do to them. God does not want this.
God wants true followers and true followers are people of faith. The writer of Hebrews states,

“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for 

and certain of what we do not see.”  

                                                Hebrews 11:1

“And without faith it is impossible to please God, 

because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists 

and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” 

                                                                        Hebrews 11:6.

A true person of faith is someone who will continue following what they believe no matter the consequences. They will literally follow what they believe to the grave.
This is what God wants. That is why he sent Jesus in the way he did.
Please think about it.

God's Ways Not Man's Ways

God's Ways Not Man's Ways

The Apostle Paul writing to the Corinthian Church said,
“Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth.  
But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.  
He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are,  so that no one may boast before him.  
It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.  
          Therefore, as it is written: “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 1:26-31
Paul states,
“But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.”
God does not do things the way man would do them. Luke’s Gospel records,
“In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee,  to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary.  
The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” 
Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be.  
But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God.  
You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus.  
He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.” Luke 1:26-33.  
In choosing Mary to be the mother of Jesus, God chose a woman of humble estate. He did not choose to have his Son born to a king.
Think about it. It would have been easy for God to have his Son born to a ruler. People would have easily have followed him after all he would have had power and people tend to respect people in power. And even if they don’t respect them they fear them and thus tend to obey them.
God however didn’t want this. He wanted his followers to act in true faith.
In the Gospel of Luke and Matthew the writers lay down the story of a humble young girl who is chosen by God to be the mother of the Messiah the Saviour of mankind.
The Gospels go on even further asking the reader to believe that this Son of God died for our sins. That he rose again walked briefly on this earth before ascending to heaven where he rules and reigns.
To man’s way of thinking this is pure foolishness. Yet to be a Christian to be a follower of Christ the individual is asked to believe all of this. Not only that Jesus is recorded as saying,
 “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6
John’s gospel also records Jesus as saying,
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.  Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son”. John 3:16-18.
The apostle Paul writes,
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—  not by works, so that no one can boast.” Ephesians 2:8,9.
Paul notes it is not our good works that get us to heaven. We get to heaven through our faith in Christ and the grace of God.
God asks the individual to have faith in him. The writer of Hebrews stating,

“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for 

and certain of what we do not see.”  

Hebrews 11:1

“And without faith it is impossible to please God, 

because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists 

and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” 

Hebrews 11:6

God in his wisdom knows that the strongest most reliable followers are those who have faith in someone. They are people who look at the facts and even though those facts at times may seem outrageous they still follow.
In Jesus God is asking that you as an individual believe the words of the writer of Hebrews who said,
“The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.” Hebrews 1:3.   
Do you believe this?
Please think about it.