Pastor’s Corner April 2010

The following was published in our monthly newsletter, the Redeemer Report.

Our Lord is Living!

Easter Sunday is upon us! The opening verses of Matthew 28 never get old-
Matthew 28:5-7a But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead…
I remember a missionary visitor at Moody telling of a Muslim who became a Christian in Africa. Some of his friends asked the lifelong adherent of Islam, “Why have you become a Christian?’” He answered, “Well, it’s like this: Suppose you were going down the road and suddenly the road forked in two directions, and you didn’t know which way to go, and there at the fork in the road were two men, one dead and one alive–which one would you ask which way to go?”
We live in a world with all sorts of religious and spiritual claims. Many say they have connected with the meaning of life. In history, there have been many founders of various faiths and religions. At this moment, we are on a planet with a vast diversity of beliefs concerning life and death and the meaning of it all. What makes it more confusing are people who claim to hold to one set of beliefs making statements that seem to validate other sets of beliefs almost to say it doesn’t matter what you believe. This huge debate about the meaning of life and what is true boils down to a simple reality- there is only One who lived a perfect life, died a substitutionary death for His people, rose again, and still lives today. There are no others who fit this description.
Zoroaster, Confucius, Buddha, Mohammed, Joseph Smith, Brigham Young , Mary Baker Eddy, L. Ron Hubbard- all interesting religious leaders, very inventive, charismatic, many followers, but one major problem- they died and they’re still dead. Their advice about life, death, and what lies beyond rings extremely hollow.
This is not a problem for our living Lord- Jesus Christ. We can trust the risen Christ!
There were multiple witnesses to the deaths of the aforementioned people. No one has claimed that any-not one-has been raised. There has only ever been one who died and rose again- the Lord Jesus Christ. In this way Christianity distinguishes itself from all other world religions- ancient or new. We’ve seen plenty of peoples tracks leave to the grave. We need someone whose tracks are on the other side! To get eternal answers to life’s questions, only one who has conquered the great enemy can give guidance. Only the Lord Jesus Christ has that credibility and authority.
The opening verses of Matthew 28 referred to earlier provide the set up for the final words of the same chapter-
Matthew 28:18-19 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

In the Lamb,
Pastor Tony Felich