Risen for Real

I went to the theatres a few days ago and saw an interesting movie called Risen.  Here's a link to a preview.



In light of Easter coming up soon it prompted this thought: if Jesus rose from the dead, would it not validate his claim to be God (not in a self-actualized or subjective sense, but in a universal, Creator sense).  Jesus claimed He was God (John 5:18, see below).  Then, He claimed He would rise from the dead (Matthew 16:21), to which even his followers initially were confused.  But after He rose from the dead, His followers came to worship Him as God (John 20:24-29). So, if doubters were changed to believers because of His resurrection, maybe looking into the claims of Easter would impact any doubter today?  If so, then this Easter may God prompt us to talk often and openly about the empty tomb!




John 5:17-18, "In his defense Jesus said to them, “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working.” For this reason they tried all the more to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God."

Matthew 16:21-22, "From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life. Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!”

John 20:24-29, "Now Thomas (also known as Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!”
But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!” Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed;blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”