I recently read a statement in an article that bothered me. When two people were debating a social issue, one said, “If Jesus Christ were alive today, undoubtedly he would” support us.
What was implied in the statement was, “Jesus would agree with me, not you.” Yet the phrase—“If Jesus Christ were alive today”—showed what that individual does not know.
Jesus is indeed alive today! He is risen from the dead and alive forevermore. With Easter 2021 upon us, this is a great time for us to tell people who may not know that we serve a Risen Savior; that He’s in the world today!
As I pondered this more, though, what should bother me as much as that statement is when I, and other believers, go about our daily lives in a way that does not show we believe He’s alive.
Here’s what I mean. It’s easy to spot Christians on social media who are sad, mad or scared at every news headline that comes along. If find myself in this news trap too, where I am letting bad news overwhelm me. Corrie Ten Boom once said, “If you look at the world, you’ll be distressed. If you look within, you’ll be depressed. If you look at God you’ll be at rest.”
Christians today are feeding on too much bad news. With Resurrection Sunday now less than a month away, we need to remind ourselves that the Good News overwhelms all of the bad news, and we need to remember the Bible promises of Resurrection Life in Jesus.
The late, great preacher Adrian Rogers related a story to illustrate how Jesus, through His resurrection, overcame even death for us.
He said, “One day, a mother and her two children were in the park having a wonderful time. They were enjoying the outdoors until a bee landed on little Brother and then stung him. He began to cry and scream like any child would as the wound on his arm became swollen.
“The bee was still buzzing around, and his little sister was petrified. The mother comforted her daughter by saying, ‘Darling, wait a minute.’ As she was wiping Brother’s tears away, she said, ‘Look down here on your brother’s arm.’ Right in the middle of that swelling was the bee’s stinger. ‘You see that, Sweetheart? That bee can buzz and fight you, but it can’t hurt you. You see, it can only sting once, and the bee has left its stinger in your brother.”
Easter means Jesus is alive, and He took the sting of death. Let’s take this Good News as truly good news that surpasses all other news.
Regardless of how well or poorly our favorite sports teams do. No matter if our favorite politician is winning or losing. Regardless of how prosperous our personal circumstances are, we can still have joy and take heart, because Jesus has overcome the world (John 16:33) and death itself.
After all, He’s still alive today! That’s the best possible Good News you can find.
