"Raving Mad" or Messiah?

As Jesus approached His final days on earth, the magnitude of His miracles increased. He opened the eyes of a blind man before, but now the man whose eyes was opened was actually born blind (John 9). A feat, considered by many as impossible. He healed the sick before, including the man who had been sick for thirty-eight years, but now He raised Lazarus from death to life (John 11). The miracles were ratcheting up, culminating in His own death and resurrection. 

When Jesus told the Pharisees "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep ... I lay down my life - only to take it up again" (John 10:14 & 17, NIV), they did not understand him. Neither did they believe Him. "Many of them said, "He is demon-possessed and raving mad." Others said, "These are not the sayings of a man possessed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?" (John 10:20-21, NIV). However, Jesus backed up this extraordinary claim by dying on the cross on the first Good Friday, and coming back to life on the first Easter Sunday. 

Easter is the biggest, unrivaled and unparalleled miracle or event of human history. No man, angel or god has been able, or will be able to replicate it. That is why every human being needs to take Jesus seriously. He says what He means and He does what He says. He is like no other. He is the one who has the power of life. His life is the light of all mankind. No life or breath in mankind exists outside of his will and purpose. He is the author of all life and the giver of eternal life. 

This Easter, Jesus is still alive. He is not just creating new lives by His providential power that enables humans to procreate, He is also willing and ready to give eternal life to those who believe in Him. Even Lazarus who Jesus raised from the dead eventually died. All life forms on earth die, no one is immortal. But Jesus promised another type of life for all those who believe in Him - Eternal life. He made this clear to Martha when He arrived to raise Lazarus from the dead. Jesus said, " I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die: and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?" (John 11:25-26, NIV)

I don't know any other deal that is better than this. All it takes from the human end is to believe in Jesus! We don't have to earn eternal life, we just have to believe Jesus to receive it. Jesus will do the miracle, all we have to do to receive the miracle is to believe. Jesus asked Martha, do you believe this? She said, "Yes Lord, ... I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God..." Many of us had done the same. We have put our faith in Jesus. Will you? 

Over two thousand years ago, when Jesus said He would lay down His life and take it up again, many said He was raving mad, demon-possessed. Others believed in Him. Today, Jesus is asking the same question, as the Easter story will be told over and over again in sermons, songs, and films. The question is not just directed to people in a general sense, it is directed at you, in a personal sense. Do you believe this? Do you think Jesus is raving mad, or the Messiah? 

The reality for Christians around the word is that the life of Jesus is in us now and will be in us for eternity. This Easter we want as many people as possible to hear about the saving grace of Jesus. If for one moment you think the death and resurrection of Jesus is an historic fact, but that it has nothing to do with you, you are mistaken.  Jesus' birth, death and resurrection has everything to do with every human being that ever walked the face of the earth. It is relevant to everyone alive now and all that will come in the future. It was the love of the Father that motivated Jesus' birth (John 3:16). The love of Jesus led Him to the cross to die so that we may live. And He died so that through His death, He will destroy the power of death. In rising from the dead, He paved a pathway to eternal life for all those who believe in Him. Is Jesus raving mad or Messiah? Like Martha, we affirm that Jesus is Lord and Saviour. He is coming back again to take His people home, as He promised. 

Give your heart to Him today, so that you too may have eternal life. 

Happy Easter!