Faith In The Facts

“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” Hebrews 11:1

Were you there when they crucified my Lord? Were you there?

No, but I know it really happened. “When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified him. At noon the sky turned dark and stayed that way until three o’clock for the sun stopped shining. At three o’clock Jesus cried out in a loud voice, ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’ He said, ‘It is finished.’ Then he bowed his head and died.”

Were you there when they laid Him in the tomb? Were you there?

No, but I know it really happened. “Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. He was accompanied by Nicodemus. Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds. Taking Jesus’ body, the two of them wrapped it, with the spices in the linen. At the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb. They laid Jesus there. Joseph rolled a big stone in front of the entrance to the tomb and went away.”

Were you there when He rose up from the grave? Were you there?

No, but I know it really happened. “At dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. There was a violent earthquake for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven, rolled back the stone and sat on it. The angel said to the women, ‘He is not here. He has risen! Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples.’ So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy. Suddenly Jesus met them. ‘Greetings,’ he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him.”

Sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.

Not from fear that it didn’t happen, but from the overwhelming fact that it did. “Jesus said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in 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.’”

“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”

This Easter weekend, may the facts of Christ’s death and resurrection fill you with great faith, great joy, and great praise.
He is risen! He is risen indeed!