Newsweek: “From Jesus to Christ”
When I last read this site, a quarter million people had voted. 83% of them believe that Jesus did indeed come out of the grave. (Awkward wording, I know. I just can’t remember if that should have been “did rise” or “did raise” or something else!)
I wondered at first if that number was high or low. Sure it wasn’t a scientific survey…but with the way things look in America, it’s hard to believe that 83% would believe in the idea that Jesus lives.
But maybe it has something to do with the title. “From Jesus to Christ” was discussing [with a rather strong anti-Christian sentiment at times] how people came to believe that this man named Jesus really was the Christ. Without that resurrection, Christianity is meaningless (1 Corinthians 15)
Maybe there’s a lesson in that for those of us who believe. See, most of us believe in Jesus the man, like a historical figure. Sure, we believe in His deity and reality. Do we recognize just how real He was and is, though? That He is Jesus, the Christ? God’s very own annointed king…and all that entails. Maybe that’s the reason for Paul’s emphasis on the reality of Jesus in 1 Corinthians 15 and in 1 John 1:1-3. Maybe He knew we’d begin to forget that this isn’t just a story from the pages of history. His life is the book that binds those pages together–a book that’s plot has been completed. We’re just working on writing in the details.
Hmm. Sounds like something good to think about before bed. Goodnight!