by Sally Matheny
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| Christ's Resurrection: Deny It or Apply It |
These are the decisions people make around this time of
year. They can even choose a
combination. I’m pretty sure you cannot
go wrong with chocolate—ever. Okay,
maybe in quantity consumed, but as far as the choice of thickness, then
no. Furthermore, combining hollow,
solid, and even crispy chocolates are okay.
Not everything has to be an
either/or selection.
However, some things in life demand a solid stance on
one side or another.
Easter is drawing near. It’s more than a celebration of
spring and new life. It’s a time to commemorate Christ’s resurrection. Will we
deny it or apply it?
One of Jesus’ disciples, Peter, provides us with a
testimony of Easter reminders to help us decide.
Easter
reminds Christians to have faith—even in the midst of chaos.
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:1 (NKJV)
Peter, a disciple of Jesus, loved Him. He swore his
allegiance to Him. When the soldiers came to arrest Jesus in the garden, Peter drew
his sword. Heart beating wildly in his chest, he tested his courage by swinging
his sword toward the high priest’s servant.
Jesus rebuked him and ordered him to put away his sword.
Confusion silently crept in Peter as he watched Jesus relinquish to the guards.
Following Jesus at a distance, Peter’s mind must have
been whirling.
Why doesn’t Jesus change the
situation as He has done before? He’s quieted a raging storm, supplied for many
out of practically nothing, and even brought the dead back to life. Why does He
not take charge of this chaos?
Suddenly, the unthinkable happened. Everything seemed
out of control. If his Lord was bound and beaten, Peter must’ve been wondering what
could possibly happen next. What would become of him? Had Jesus lost His power?
The enemy ensnared Peter in a tsunami of fear.
