Monday 22 April 2019

A Radical Claim

A Radical claim
The apostle Paul speaking to the Athenians said,
“For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead.” 
When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some of them sneered, but others said, “We want to hear you again on this subject.”  
At that, Paul left the Council.  
A few men became followers of Paul and believed. Among them was Dionysius, a member of the Areopagus, also a woman named Damaris, and a number of others” Acts 17:17-34.
For all intents and purposes Paul was speaking to a secular audience when he spoke these words a the Areopagus in Athens. They were intellectuals who were interested and open to new ideas but when it came to resurrection from the dead, that threw many of them for a loop. They couldn’t believe such a thing could happen.
This claim of Christ’s resurrection from the dead was a radical claim then and for that matter still is. Yet it is a claim Christians ask all people to believe.
In Athens some sneered and rejected the resurrection out right. Others wanted to know more. Yet others believed. Which is the way it is today.
Believers in Christ believe he rose from the dead. While others sneer at the mere thought of it. And others want to know more.
The bottom line here is that the resurrection of Jesus is one of the cornerstones of the Christian faith. You cannot be a true believer in Christ Jesus and not believe He rose from the dead.
Thus the question becomes, what do you believe.
Please think about it.

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