The Resurrected One

Recognizing Holy Week causes thankfulness and deep appreciation for the price paid by the Risen Christ. One of my favorite passages from God's Word is I Corinthians 15, particularly the first eight verses. How I wish I could have talked with those who saw Jesus Christ after His resurrection: 1 - 8 "Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you-unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve. After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep. After that He was seen by James, then by all the apostles. Then last of all He was seen by me also, as by one born out of due time."

There will always be skeptics of the resurrection. But this passage of scripture is profound. In William F. Buckley, Jr.'s "Nearer, My God - An Autobiography of Faith", Buckley alludes to Jeffrey Hart, emeritus professor of English at Dartmouth. "He is vastly learned in literature and philosophy and cultural history and athletics, the author of a half dozen books....He dove with gusto into the question of the historicity of Jesus of Nazareth." Hart is quoted, "It is very difficult (impossible?) for skeptics about Jesus to get around I Corinthians 15. Paul there is speaking to an audience that agrees with him on the nature of historical fact. Corinth was not some backwoods, but well within the Hellenistic ambience. He appeals to the testimony of witnesses, 'most of whom are alive at this day' - that is, you can check it with them. And uses a blatantly historical argument to affirm the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus." (p. 118)

When the scales of spiritual blindness fall from our eyes, we also see Jesus the Lamb and King of Kings. One day I will see Him face to face! Hallelujah! What a Savior!