Bible Reading: John 20:30-31, 1 John 1:1-4
“Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” (John 20:30-31)
The book of John was written as an eyewitness account to the life and message of Jesus. To be precise, all four gospels were eyewitness accounts to Jesus’ gospel. Christianity is not a mythic religion compiled from legends and old fables. Nor is it merely a set of ancient sayings from wise men of the past. Christianity is more than morality or well-being measures. Christianity believes in Christ’s life and message, which has massive implications for our everyday lives.
Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15:17,19, “And if Christ has not been raised. your faith is futile and you are still in your sins…we are of all people most to be pitied”. Jesus claimed that He was the Son of the Living God. He claimed that He was the Truth and the source of Life (John 14:6). He claimed that He would give His life as a ransom for many (Matthew 20:28) and that He would die on the cross but rise again after three days (Luke 9:22).
The only question left to ask is, are Jesus’ claims valid? Did He do what He said He would do? Is He who He says He is? If you ask the historians, even the most secular will admit that Jesus was an actual historical figure crucified under Pontius Pilate. And if you ask them again if Jesus rose from the dead, all though there is surmounting evidence, they will hesitate and try to offer you another (quite far-fetched) explanation for the empty tomb and the many eyewitness accounts.
Even if we assumed their theories were valid for a moment and Jesus’ body was perhaps stolen, then how do we account for the rapid growth of early Christians who even died for their faith? If they took Jesus’ body away so that outsiders would think that Jesus’ had resurrected, why were they willing to defend such a message with their lives?
Professor C.F.D Moule of Cambridge writes, “The birth and rapid rise of the Christian Church therefore remain an unsolved enigma for any historian who refuses to take seriously the only explanation offered by the Church itself.”
John testified that He wrote His gospel which is a historical retelling of the reality of Jesus’ death and resurrection so that others would believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God so that people would have life in Him. Have we put our faith in Christ, who is the only one who can save us from our sins? Even if we have believed if this message is grounded in reality, why do we doubt sharing this witness and Truth with other people?
May we be people who do not live by blind faith but by faith in the true person of Christ who died and rose again on the third day.
Lord, thank You for sending Your Son into the earth to die on the cross. Thank You for Christ’s sacrifice, taking on our sins on Himself. Thank You that Your Spirit has worked in our hearts to reveal Your glorious gospel to us. Please help us to obey You, to follow You, and to get to know You more. Use us also to spread this Truth to all those around us. In Jesus’ name, amen.
