He IS RISEN!

Dear God, (and anyone else out there reading...)

I orignially wrote this as a comment on Chosen Vessel's blog spot. After I wrote it I then thought it would be excellent to place it here on my blog spot as a post, so here goes!

Thank you for your boldness in Jesus Christ. Today is/was an excellent day. Of course our church was overflowing with people who don't come to church often. But these people have enough respect for Jesus to know of all days this is one day they need to come to His house and hear a Word from Him. So I welcomed their presence and I tried to help make them feel comfortable enough to want to come back again. God is good!

Our Sermon today was on a familiar passage 1 Corinthians 15:3-8.

3For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, 5and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve. 6After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen sleep. 7After that He was seen by James, then by all apostles. 8Then last of all He was seen by me also, as by one born out of due time.

When I first heard this sermon at our church either two or three years ago, the most amazing part of this scripture for me then was how over 500 people at the same time witnessed the risen Christ. This statement alone eliminates any doubt of the possibilities of Christ rising from the dead. He IS risen! There were so many people who could verify this TRUTH! Why would over 500 people lie about the exact same thing?

Well what I learned this Resurrection Sunday is Jesus Keeps on Hanging Around. He showed Himself to Cephas, better known as Peter. Peter did not deny Jesus once, Peter denied Jesus three times. This completely destroyed Peter and left him wide open for satan to complete his attacked on Peter. Yet Jesus went to Cephas after he rose. Jesus restored the most broken, vulnerable person first. Then he showed Himself to the 12 disciples, they shared intimate relationships with Jesus and yet could not prevent his death on the cross nor die on the cross with Him. I am sure His resurrection offered renewed faith and hope to them. Then it was like Jesus was on tour, because over 500 Christians saw Jesus at the same time. He showed Himself to His brother James, who was more probable to have been among those who rejected Jesus when Jesus went to His hometown to minister, heal, and deliver. James, upon witnessing Jesus' death on the cross, probably thought to himself, Wow, Jesus IS REAL! Here Jesus is dying on this cross yet He is still being consistent to His ministry of love and forgiveness He preached about all His life. James probably felt devastated to find truth in Jesus at the last minute, right before Jesus' death. Too late??? No, Jesus hung around long enough to let James know he is forgiven. Then Jesus showed Himself to the rest of the apostles.

Yet, the most significant, powerful, and amazing sighting of the risen Jesus, is by Paul himself. Paul is a symbol for all of us today that it is NOT too late to get to know JESUS! Paul did not see nor know Jesus while Jesus was alive. Paul came to BELIEVE after Jesus' death. Paul formerly known as Saul is a true symbol that God is a God of second chances.

So I pray, in Jesus' mighty and anointed name, if anyone out there who does not know Jesus. Come home. If there is anyone out there who knows of Jesus and turn their back on Him and returned to the world's way of sinful living. Come home. God is a forgiving, loving, kind, just God and He wants us all to come home to His Kingdom. Amen!

Jesus, thank you for taking the time before you ascended to be at he right hand of God, to let the world know You are a LIVING GOD! Amen!

Sis. RJQueen10

If anyone else out there is listening besides God, feel free to share and post a response...