Jesus Christ has Risen!

On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: ‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’ ” Then they remembered his words. – Luke 24:1-8 NIV

The context of Luke 24:1-12 is about Jesus, who has been raised from the dead. Everyone who looked up to Jesus was astonished, even though Jesus already told them that He will be raised after three days of His crucifixion. Although the women who saw that He was not in the tomb told apostles about it, they did not believe about it. However, Peter, one of the apostles went to the tomb and wondered about what happened to the body of Jesus. Apostles probably needed an evidence before they come to the belief, especially Thomas (John 20:24-28). Jesus replied to him like this: “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” (John 20:29)

 The main reason that God sent Jesus Christ to crucify Himself on the cross probably is that God desires to restore the relationship between Him and humans. God loves them. However, Satan, the enemy of God, hovered and took control of all of them. We know this when we look into the Scriptures, such as Romans 5:12-14. People became more independent as they rely on ourselves, instead of relying on God. I think human’s independence started as the first couple of God had eaten a fruit in the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 3:1-19). Since human’s independence would go on forever, God sent His beloved and only Son to die on the cross as an atonement of our sins. Thus, we can become righteousness of God in Him (2 Corinthians 5:21). Although we do not know the exact reason that Satan has been existed within humans, I believe that the crucifixion and the resurrection of Jesus has been powerful evidence that every human being should believe in Him, in order to know God (John 14:6-7). The crucifixion and the resurrection of Christ probably would attract us to believe in God. Jesus Christ has stated, “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” (John 15:13)

Since God has loved us from the beginning, Jesus Christ was crucified not only for our sins but to give us eternal life in Him (Romans 6:23). Thus, we could spend time with God forever from the end of our physical lives (John 14:1-4). Because of this and since He has created us in the image of God (Genesis 1:27), I believe God has given us a privilege to become His own children if we believe in Jesus (John 1:12-13). Apostle Paul has said, “Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.” (Ephesians 1:4-5) When people brought their children to Jesus, His disciples tried to make them go away from Him. At that moment, Jesus has said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” (Matthew 19:13-15). When I think of Matthew 19:14, I think of the word ‘dependence.’ I think children depends on their parents for everything. I depend on my parents to pay my school fees and guide me through my theological studies. However, I realised that I need to depend more on God, instead of my parents. This is because I know He can provide everything I need to live my life through Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19). While Jesus was on the mountainside to teach His disciples and the crowds, He said, “God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.” (Matthew 5:3). Therefore, let us learn to depend more on God for everything during this Advent season. Matthew 6:33 declares, “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.”