Luke, the beloved physician gives to the reader from St Luke 24 the article and news of the afternoon of two Christian disciples in their dilemma of failing hope.
Cleopas and the other disciple, unnamed, (but believed by many to be St. John) were walking the seven-mile journey from Jerusalem to Emmaus. They appeared sad and just simply taken in left field with quandaring thoughts, “Why did our Jesus do this to us?”
For you see, Jesus of Nazareth had given his followers three years of teaching, guidance, and hope that He would establish a new kingdom, a new way, and a Hope for a troubled world! It had all come to a sudden shatter just three days ago.
They were in heavy discussion of all these events, when suddenly a stranger joined them in the walk. He questioned their subject and as if he knew nothing in the latest news.
Cleopas asked the stranger, in our style of conversation, “Man, where have you been? This Jesus of Nazareth did good for three years and it seemed the world would be better under his leadership soon. But they just condemned him to death and this is the third day without him! However, some women now declare He is risen, but you know how women can start something! On top of that, we trusted Jesus!”
They didn’t realize the King of Kings and the Redeemer was with them!
Great news to the Christian and the whole world this Resurrection Sunday is, Jesus Christ is risen!
We can trust Jesus because He died and rose again to forgive our sins, give us hope, his spirit, and eternal life.
If you are downcast, feel defeated by the storms of life, or whatever your task may be, I say Trust Jesus!
You can follow Jesus from the Cross, to the empty tomb, to the Upper Room of Pentecostal experience and trust him in 2025!
May your Easter Sunday be filled with joy and new beginning! Yes, we still trust Jesus!
Pastor M.R. Reed Sr.
King Solomon Baptist Church, Pine Hill Baptist Church Greater New Bethel Baptist Church Rayville
In I Corinthians 15: 14, 17 and 19, the 14th verse reads, “And if Christ be not risen then is your preaching in vain, and your faith is also vain.”
The 17th verse: “And if Christ be not raised your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sin.”
The 19th verse: “If in this life we have hope in Christ only, we are of all men more miserable (pitiable).”
In these words we have the Apostle’s estimate of the place and value of that great event which we commemorate this week in common with the whole Church of Jesus Christ. It is a most startling statement, made without apology and without condition.
Everything depends upon this one central fact: a risen Christ, or empty preaching and a false faith, and a state of abject misery.
Paul wrote these words somewhere about a generation after the death of Jesus on the cross.
The Gospel stories were not all in circulation at this time, but men had gone out from Jerusalem through Judea and Samaria, and with new force and power from Antioch to the regions stretching beyond, and as they passed out they had everywhere told the same story of the risen Christ of Nazareth, who had lived a sinless life among sinners, and had died a sorrowful death, and had risen again in power and in divine glory.
A generation had passed before Paul was moved to make this statement, or even ask this question.
If Christ be not risen what then?
I was talking to a lady the other day about computers taking the place of so many people and causing them to lose their jobs.
She asked, “Does that disturb you?” I said “No! Because the computer will never be able to substitute for men for preaching the Gospel. God will never allow anybody or anything to preach the Gospel but men and we must tell the world that Christ did die, but He also rose again.”
We believe He rose from the dead and that brings us up out of that miserable state.
Our faith is not in vain for it has been fruitful for centuries and for this reason Christ has been raised from the dead.”
