Stars!!! They are just like us!

Stars! They are just like us! They multi -task! (hold dog, walk, sip frappuccino) They drink Coke while wrapped in fur! They wear sunglasses to hide the shame of buying paper towels from CVS! They push Target carts without the aid of bodyguards! They act disappointed when realizing water from a Starbucks' cup tastes like water from the faucet! Yes, at first glance it might appear that we are very similar to celebrities... they walk, have emotions, eat, drink, are human....but aside from that they are nothing like us. Think about it... when is the last time you went shopping at Dolce and Gabanna and the owner not only booted everyone else out so you could have the store to yourself, but also begged you to accept the hottest $20,000 dress as a free gift? When is the last time you made $250,000 over the course of a 1.5 hour long concert? When is the last time you were able to sell a bottle of water that you had a sip of for $600 to an adoring fan? Yea... didn't think so. So we can agree that celebrities, although human, are different from us in that they have gobs of money, are known by millions, and as a result can exhibit a tremendous amount of power and influence.

Now, let's pretend for a second that US Weekly existed 2,000 years ago (hand painted on papyrus of course). The clear 'celebrity' of the time would be Jesus. I can just imagine the ad now.... Jesus, He's just like us! He sleeps on a cushion! He weeps when a loved one dies! He eats dinner with close friends! He prays to God the Father! He wears sandals!

Well yea when you put it that way, it appears Jesus was a human just like us... which he was ! However, once we really look into the matter we realize He is not like us in the sense that He was also fully God. We know He was God because He was able to conquer death! The celebrities mentioned above are impressive in the power they can exert...but it's not SUPER NATURAL power... it's power generated from money/fame...Okay, well maybe they do have some super natural power (re: Tiger Woods crushing a golf ball with the delicate swing of arms and hips, Michael Phelps ripping through the pool like a shark), but not this kind of power... Think about it. Jesus was DEAD. The roman soldier (an enemy) testified to this and it was proven when His side was pierced...then a period of 72 hours passed and Jesus ROSE from the dead. Not even the best doctor in the world could restore a patients life if they were dead for only 5 minutes. Jesus did this all without any help, without any EKG machines, without any drugs. Jesus was able to do it because He is God. He has power over death. Yes, he voluntarily chose to sacrifice himself on the cross and take on the punishment that we all deserve for our sins (death). But, He rose from the dead 3 days later and was seen walking around by over 500 witnesses. Folks, if this was some fabrication/conspiracy by Jesus's disciples they wouldn't have chosen Mary Magdalene as the person to find the tomb empty. They instead would have chosen a man because women weren't respected back in the day (i.e. women weren't allowed to serve as legal witnesses in Jewish courts of law).

The resurrection is essential to the Christian faith and here's why. Christ raising himself from the dead shows Jesus was God. If Jesus is God then it follows that He must have led a perfect life. If Jesus led a perfect life than his voluntarily death on the cross was a sufficient payment for our sins. (remember in the OT, animal sacrifices had to be without defect/blemish). If Jesus's death paid the penalty for our sins, then we have the option to no longer be separated from God. (remember Adam/Eve disobeying God in the garden caused us to be separated from God). If we are no longer separated from God, we can have a relationship with God. If we have a relationship with God we have acknowledged that Jesus is God, he died for our sins, and rose from the dead. He is our personal Lord and Savior. Once we acknowledge this we can be 100% confident that when we die, we will go to heaven and spend eternity with God. We will spend eternity with God not because of what we did, but because of what Christ did on our behalf. I'll leave you with this verse.

But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him. 1 Corinthians 15:20-23

If for some reason you still think Jesus may have survived the crucifixion and not actually died the first time read this. If you would like to see evidence outside the Bible for the ressurection go here or here. Finally, if you want more biblical context around the ressurection go here.

Fairy Tale: The Atheist & the Bear

During a walk in the woods...

Atheist: What majestic trees!What powerful rivers! What beautiful animals!

(rustling in the bushes)

Atheist turns and sees 7-foot grizzly bear charging toward him.

Atheist runs up the path, looks over his shoulder, and sees bear closing in on him. He looks over his shoulder again, and the bear is even closer. He trips and falls to the ground.He rolls over to pick himself up but sees that the bear is right on top of him, reaching for him with his left paw & raising his right paw to strike him.

Atheist: OH MY GOD!

(TIME STOPS. BEAR FREEZES. FOREST GOES SILENT. A bright light shines upon the atheist and a voice comes out of the sky.)

Voice out of the sky: You deny my existence for all these years, teach others I don't exist and even credit creation to cosmic accident. Do you expect me to help you out of this predicament? Am I to count you as a believer?

Atheist: It would be hypocritical of me to suddenly ask you to treat me as a Christian now, but perhaps you could make the BEAR a Christian?

Voice out of the sky: Very well, said the voice.

(Light goes out. The sounds of the forest resumes).

And the bear dropped his right paw, brought both paws together, bowed his head & spoke:
Bear: Lord bless this food, which I am about to receive from thy bounty, through Christ our Lord, Amen.

THE END.

(The fable you just read is from an email chain my Mom sent me this morning. Thanks Mom!)

MORAL OF THE STORY: Christian's aren't good people. There is no such thing as a good person. "The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?" (Jeremiah 17:9). Although as a Christian one might try to sin less as a way to show his/her love for God, inevitably we will fail. Even Paul, the author of the majority of the New Testament, a seemingly 'good' person towards the latter part of his life, admitted to struggling with his own sinful nature... "For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do--this I keep on doing." (Romans 7:19). The only difference between Christians and non-Christians is that Christians recognize their sinful nature and need for a Savior. Christians aren't sinless, they are just forgiven. It's never too late to start a relationship with Jesus. Regardless of what you've done in the past, you can come always come to Jesus....

As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector's booth. "Follow me," he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him. While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew's house, many tax collectors and "sinners" came and ate with him and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and 'sinners'?" On hearing this, Jesus said, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners." Matthew 9:9-13

DISCLAIMER: I am not in any way suggesting/authorizing the Bear to eat the atheist. Even though we are forgiven as Christians and have assurance that we will go to heaven regardless of our deeds, we should still strive towards becoming like Christ, and in doing so love others as a means to help advance the gospel.

Thank you for your time.