Devotion: Jordan Whitehead
Scripture: Luke 24:39-46
Andrew Peterson’s song “I’ve Seen Too Much” is a reflection on the disciples personal encounter with the resurrected Christ. In Luke 24:36-49 Jesus appears to his disciples after being crucified, yet standing on his own two feet. Shoulders squared. Looking them all in the eyes. And in a time of crisis and fear Jesus speaks words of truth and encouragement. “Peace to you.” (Luke 24:36) The disciples are stunned. With rapid blinks and rubbing of their eyes the reality of resurrection power overwhelms them. They can hardly believe what they are seeing. Their Savior up from death eating fish!
Jesus then points them to his finished work, his alive flesh and blood body, and opens their minds to understand the Scriptures. He ascended into heaven as they worship with great joy. Such a reality truly changes the way we see everything.
Why are you a Christain? Hopefully for the same reason the disciples were Christians. Reality. Overwhelming reality and truth. God’s brightest glory, Jesus Christ, defeated death by death on the cross. Walked out of darkness after he shouldered our condemnation and sin. Emerged like the morning Sun breaking above the horizon after taking God’s wrath and punishment due us for our sin. Jesus’ power and glory reverberating off the emptiness of that garden tomb signalling to the cosmos, the principalities and powers, the spiritual hosts of wickedness, that…. the King has returned. Declaring that he is the point of the Bible. That his suffering foretold is complete and that his name is to be proclaimed to the nations for repentance and forgiveness of sins.
In short, we are Christians because the gospel witness given by the biblical authors of the resurrection of Christ is inspired and empowered by the Holy Spirit, in such a way that it brings deep conviction of sin against a holy God, a soul wrenching need to repent for sins, and to trust wholly on Christ alone, through faith alone, for salvation.The witness is real, true, and beautiful. I pray this is true for each and every person at Ashland Church.
Easter Sunday our church will gather (in our cars lol) around the word of God to say we believe the biblical accounts, written by eyewitnesses of Jesus, are in fact true. We believe the gospel is true and Jesus is real. In this season of crisis and fear the leadership of our church will remind us of the work of Christ fulfilled and his physical body being resurrected by God. He is alive! And as we look around at each other as the body of Christ we will be reminded that we are a result of the good news of resurrection power. As we see the Sun rise in the morning, babies being born, the gospel being proclaimed to Madison County and the ends of the earth…. let us remember “I’ve Seen Too Much.” As we read our bibles, play with our families in the yard, see folks saved by God to faith in Christ, long in our souls to truly be with our resurrected King may we say “I’ve Seen Too Much.”
Reflection Questions:
Why are you a Christian? Is it because you have personally encountered the risen Christ in the Bible? Was it in response to the gospel? Was it accompanied by repentance for sins?
Jesus points the disciples troubled hearts and doubtful minds to his finished work on the cross (see my hands and my feet v.39) and his physical, alive, resurrected body. Do you believe that the resurrection of Jesus and the good news of the gospel is the antidote for troubled hearts and doubtful minds in times of crisis and fear?
Pick up your bible and pray/praise God -Father, Son, and Holy Spirit that he is not a God of silence but words. Thank God that he has not left us without a witness. The Scriptures stand forth as a cohesive line that all point to Jesus as the central theme for salvation, redemption, deliverance, peace, and restoration of all things. How has this pandemic influenced the way you view God’s word?