A Great Teacher Shows Us the Creator More Clearly -Resurrected Jesus-Key to Meaningful Life

The beloved disciple John observed Jesus closely until His death. More than that, John recorded the greatest resurrection that ever took place, an event that lays a firm foundation for our having a permanent and meaningful life.

Enemies of Jesus had him executed, nailed to a stake as a common criminal.  Onlookers-including religious leaders-mocked him as he suffered for hours. Despite being in agony on the stake, Jesus saw his own mother and said to her about John: "Woman, see! Your son!" By then Mary must have been a widow, and her other children were not yet disciples.  Hence, Jesus entrusted the care of his aging mother to his disciple John. This again reflected the thinking of the Creator, who encouraged caring for widows and orphans. -John 7:5; 19:12-30; Mark 15:16-39; James 1:27. 

But once he was dead, how could Jesus carry out his role as the "seed" through whom "all nations of the earth will certainly bless themselves"?  (Genesis 22:18)  With his death, on that April afternoon in 33 C.E., Jesus laid down his life as the basis for the ransom.  His sensitive Father must have been pained by the agony his innocent Son went through. Yet, in this way, provision was made for the ransom price needed to free mankind from the bondage to sin and death.  (John 3:16; 1 John 1:7) The stage was set for a grand finale.

Because Jesus Christ plays a central role in the outworking of God's purposes, he had to come back to life.  That was what occurred, and John witnessed it. Early on the third day after Jesus' death and burial, some disciples went to the tomb. It was empty. That bewildered  them until Jesus appeared  to various ones.  Mary Magdalene reported, I have seen the Lord!"  The disciples did not accept her testimony.  Later the disciples  gathered in a locked room and Jesus appeared again, even conversing with them.  Within days, over 500 men and women became eyewitnesses that Jesus was indeed alive. People of that time who might be skeptical could interview these credible witnesses and verify their testimony.  The Christians  could be certain that Jesus had been resurrected and was alive as a spirit creature like the Creator.  The evidence of this was so abundant  and reliable that many faced death rather than deny that Jesus had been resurrected. -John 20:1-29; Luke 24:46-48; 1 Corinthians 15: 3-8. 

Next time: A Great Teacher Shows Us the Creator More Clearly - Conclusion of Resurrected Jesus-Key to Meaningful Life

From the book: Is There a Creator That Cares About You?