Proof of Jesus’ Resurrection

The Roman crucifixion of Jesus is one of the most historically undeniable events from the 1st century.  Even Roman historians along with other ancient scribes and chroniclers of the day wrote of it.  Trying to assert, even in fictional stories, that somehow Jesus wasn’t crucified is no more teneble than saying he was a visitor from Mars.

In addition, secular history, ancient and modern, also accepts the fact that soon after the death of Jesus, his closest followers left their homes, and their security, to proclaim that he had risen, and indeed, that they had directly and physically been encountered by him in the flesh.  They made these declarations, even to the point of their own deaths, to their friends and their enemies.

Attempts to explain away the actual resurrection of Jesus Christ should all be explored, mainly because the more one bores into them, the more one is likely to be led to the threshold of belief.

Between the known actions of Pontius Pilate on Good Friday and the known behavior of the Apostles after Easter lies the inescapable dynamic that Jesus Christ rose from the grave, and the the tomb in which he was buried was left behind, empty.

For those who open their hearts to Christ, they will find his resurrection not simply a past event, but a present reality.  They may not meet Jesus in the flesh, but they will see that encountering him in the faith is more than sufficient.

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Obama Born Abroad?

Once again, a few folks have been stirring the pot regarding the President’s birth certificate, or supposed lack thereof.

I am aware that non-US born citizens cannot be President.  I myself, being born in Venezuela, always felt obliged to discourage all overtures to make a run for Oval Office.  Not that there were any.  But that’s not the point.

The point is, this harangue over where President Obama entered the world is bad for our country.  Disagree on policy?  Sure.  That’s our right.  But pushing this particularly cynical plow, in the hopes of undermining the current administration is unprincipled.

Our law places a certain emphasis on where American Presidents need to be born.  Decency demands just as high a standard regarding how Americans citizens need to behave.

The FlashDrive of Life?

“He who conquers shall be clad thus in white garments, and I will not blot his name out of the Book of Life.”

I recently had the pleasure of working with Year 10 High School English students discussing the books Fahrenheit 451 and 1984.  The insights and engagement of these young people were most inspiring.  Yet, when I received an envelope of hand-written thank you letters in the mail, it really got me thinking.

Well ahead of their time, each of these classic books, put under the microscope, present a rather dark vision of modern electronic technology, and the attendant lifestyle, or lack thereof.  Yet, like most of us in today’s world, each of the participants in the classroom conversation finds themselves easy players in the digitized land of Macs, PCs, cell-phones, Nooks, Kindles, tablets and iPods.  By and large these are life enhancing products.

Far beyond the conception of visionary authors gone by, the toys we have at our daily disposal are extremely powerful and truly incredible.  Essentially, at our fingertips, we have pocket-portals to the world.  Yet, almost all of them are hampered by a glaring lack of real permanence!

For instance, it’s cool looking at the various images teens capture with ease on their iPhone cameras.  High School memories and missives written by friends can be a real joy when they are acquired and received on a net-book screen.  However, all of these treasures can and will forever disappear in a flash if a memory card gets corrupted or a  hard-drive fails.

While they may look great on an LCD display, unless special emails, essays, electronic journals and pictures are printed and intentionally kept on paper, the data that completely makes up these uniquely priceless expressions is nothing more than 0’s and 1’s.  It is simply a binary code that defines our lives, and can dissolve without a trace in a heartbeat.  Even CD-R back-up disks are in no way better suited to longevity than a small file cabinet or crude shoe-box with priceless notes penned by an ancestor. 

Yes, I happily write this piece on a PC.  Still, in the decades ahead, I believe we will come to increasingly value those moments when actual handwriting was used on quality paper, lovingly folded, excitedly read and carefully stored. 

Passing through the season of Good Friday and Easter, we’re deliberately faced with life’s utter transience and it’s potential permanence in Jesus Christ.  Indeed, our faith is entirely based in the promise that earthly life can also be eternal.

So it is especially illuminating for our generation to hear that Our Father in Heaven has our names written in The Book of Life.  Symbolic?  Sure, but the symbolism reflects a permanent truth that’s inexpressibly superior to a Memory Stick or SD Card.

Even as we strive to save our unique and irreplaceable documents, seeking some sense of personal security, let us also focus even more on being personally saved.  Through Jesus, the Word tangibly made Flesh, may the assurance of Resurrection be indelibly and forever manifest in our faith.