posted on April 14, 2001 11:47:54 PM
For those whom believe this way, it's the real reason for this celibration.
Matthew 28:1-10
Christ's resurrection is declared by an angel to the women
1 In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.
2 And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it.
3 His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow:
4 And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men.
5 And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified.
6 He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.
7 And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you.
8 And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy; and did run to bring his disciples word.
9 And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him.
10 Then said Jesus unto them, Be not afraid: go tell my brethren that they go into Galilee, and there shall they see me.
God bless all, and thank Him for our hope.
Rick
In the begining, God created the heavens and the earth.
posted on April 15, 2001 12:07:15 AM
Borillar, if you read your Darwin and his theory, everything started due to random chance. My sig line states a Creator, not an unproven therist.
In the begining, God created the heavens and the earth.
posted on April 15, 2001 12:11:42 AM
I will not argue with that, Zazzie. All I can say is that this is Easter Sunday (I am in NH, so that is true), but I thank you for that link. Very interesting and informitive.
In the begining, God created the heavens and the earth.
You know even better than most that the entire story is nothing more than mythical gibberish--the mad mutterings of a woman not blessed with the salve of modern day pschotropic remedies.
posted on April 15, 2001 01:16:36 AM
Believe what you will, krs: we shall see in the end. I will refrain from loosing my temper, and just ask for you to re-read the title of this thread, and it's introduction. I will supply a quasi-link to a text: http://www.equip.org/free/DR153.htm cut and paste, or someone can link it, and I will provide this brief statement from this article:
For those who continue to harbor doubts about the veracity of the biblical evidence, one need only point to Dr. Simon Greenleaf, the greatest authority on legal evidences in the 19th century. It is noteworthy that after examining the evidence for the resurrection of Jesus Christ, Greenleaf suggested that any cross-examination of the eyewitness testimonies recorded in Scripture would result in "an undoubting conviction of their integrity, ability, and truth."
and here is another cut/paste: http://www.equip.org/free/CP0112.htm
enjoy,
Rick
In the begining, God created the heavens and the earth.
posted on April 15, 2001 01:38:53 AM
Throughout the length and breadth of the 27 books of the New Testament, there is not a single statement made by Jesus Christ that "I was dead, and I have come back from the dead." The Christian has been belaboring the word resurrection. Again and again, by repetition, it is conveyed that it is proving a fact. You keep on seeing the man, the man's eating food, as though He was resurrected. He appears in the upper room - He was resurrected. Jesus Christ never uttered that word that "I have come back from the dead," in the 27 books of the New Testament,
not once.
He was there with them for 40 days. And He never uttered that statement. He is proving again and again that He was that same Jesus, the one who had escaped death, so to say, by the skin of His teeth. Because He was ever in disguise. He never showed Himself openly to the Jews. He had given them a sign. "No sign shall be given unto it except the sign of Jonah." No sign, but this. And He never went back to them to the temple of Jerusalem, to tell them, "Here I am." Not once. He was ever in hiding. Now, we will not belabor the things that have passed.
The points were, that Jesus was not reluctant to die. He had actually come for this purpose. He was preparing for a show-down with the Jews. You see, at the last Supper, He raises the problem of defense, telling His disciples, "As you remember, when I sent you out on your mission of preaching and healing, I told you that you were not to carry anything with you. No purse, no sticks. No staff. Did you lack anything?"
And they said "No, we lacked nothing." But now, I tell you, He tells them, "Those of you who have no swords must sell their garments and buy them." You must sell your garments and buy swords. I'm asking you, what do you do with swords? You peel apples? Or you cut people's throats?
What do you do with swords? So one of them said, "Master, we have two already." And He said, "That is enough."
And He takes His disciples - 11 of them. Judas had already gone to betray Him. Eleven disciples and Himself, and they walk to Gethsemane. And at Gethsemane - read the book, read your gospels - and it'll tell you that Jesus put eight men at the gate. I'm asking you, why should He go to
Gethsemane in the first place? And why put eight at the gate, telling them, "Tarry ye here, and watch with Me."
He means, stop here, and keep guard. Guarding what? What was there to guard in Gethsemane? A courtyard, olive press, empty place. What
were they, the disciples, to guard five miles out of town at Gethsemane? Then He takes with Him, Peter, and the two sons of Zebedee. At least two of them had swords. And He makes an inner line of defense and He tells them, "Tarry ye here, sit ye here, and watch with Me. While I go and pray yonder... I alone go and pray beyond." I'm asking you, why did He go to Gethsemane? Why did He go there - to pray? Couldn't He have prayed in that upper room, while there at the Last Supper? Couldn't He have gone to the temple of Jerusalem, a stone's throw from where they
were? Why go five miles out of town? And why put eight at the gate? And why make an inner line of defense?
And He goes a little farther, and falls on His face, and He prays to God. "Oh, my Father ... if it be possible, let this cup pass from Me." Meaning, remove the difficulty from Me, but not as I will, but as Thou wilt. In the end, I leave it to You. But I want You to save Me. And, being in agony, He prayed more earnestly, and His sweat was as if it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground. Is this how one man, a person goes to
commit suicide? Is this how the person who is ordained from the foundation of the earth, for the sacrifice, is this how He behaves, I ask you?
That He is sweating, it says, being in an agony, He prays more earnestly, and His sweat was as if it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground. And the Lord of Mercy sends His angel, says the Bible. An angel came to strengthen Him. I say, in what? In the belief that God was going to save Him. What does the angel come to strengthen Him in? To save Him. And in everything that happened from there onward, you can see
God planning His rescue. Look. The fact was that the pro- phecy He had made was that He would be like Jonah - and we are told that He was unlike Jonah. He didn't fulfill. Jonah is alive, Jesus is dead.
Then, Pontius Pilate - he marveled when he was told that Jesus was dead because in his knowledge, he knew no man can die within three hours on the cross. Because this crucifixion was to be a slow, lingering death. This was the real purpose of crucifixion. It was not getting rid of an
anti-social character, like a firing squad, or hanging, or impaling a person. It was a slow, lingering death.
And the bones were not broken - says the Bible. It was a fulfillment of prophecy. Now, the bones of an individual - of a dead person - whether you break them or not, is of the least consequence. If the bones were not broken, the only time it can help anybody, is if the person was alive. So you see, for 2,000 years now, it's a programming, a continuous programming. And Paul has put the whole gamut of religion on one point: on this
death and resurrection, because he tells us, I Corinthians, chapter 15, verse 14, that "if Christ is not risen from the dead, our preaching is in vain: our faith is in vain." Useless! You haven't got a thing!
posted on April 15, 2001 04:56:49 AM
ddicfe ~~ a little faith can go a long way, a lack of faith can come up with all sorts of reasons why faith is misplaced. I choose faith.
posted on April 15, 2001 05:26:15 AM
krs- i am totally unknowledgeable on the issues you are debating. however, isn't it inappropriate to be calling another's beliefs "gibberish" on this day particularly? powerhouse- that picture says it all. the thread should be closed after that.
posted on April 15, 2001 06:09:57 AM
As a final statement, krs-I believe it is YOU who has nothing.
On the advise of stusi, moderator, please lock this thread, for when "supposedly enlightened" like krs decide to troll and you do nothing, then it is useless for me to even behave. This thread was a greeting and posting of joy, unlike krs many garbage threads. Enjoy yourself in this life, krs-judgement will come.
Enjoy the Risen Son, all.
Rick
In the begining, God created the heavens and the earth.
posted on April 15, 2001 06:20:33 AM
Let's assume for a moment that all Christians are wrong. God is a myth. Jesus Christ was just a man with enough charisma to influence billions of people over the course of 2000 odd years.
Where does this leave Christians? In the same boat as everyone else. We die and that's it. It's over. Nothing left. But then again we did have the benefit of living happier, healthier lives while we were alive because we believed in Biblical principles and lived a Christian life.
Now, let's assume for a moment that Christians are right. Where does that leave Christians? In heaven after they die an earthly death, as opposed to the non-believers who will spend eternity in a firey burning hell.
One of the two scenarios above is correct. Either Christians are right and they go to heaven when they die while non-believers go to hell.
OR
Christians are wrong and they are no worse off than non-believers after they die. They just die and that's it.
It seems to me that Christians have a lot less to lose if they're wrong than non-believers. Of course everything above was said for the sake of argument. There is no doubt in my mind whatsoever that the Bible is the true (and only) word of God. Christ (the Son 0f God) came to earth, lived a perfect, sinless life, was crucified, shed his blood, and died in in order to save all mankind (all that will believe that is). He lay in the tomb for 3 days and then rose again.
This is why we celebrate Easter. Christ's rising from the dead provided hope and a bright future for all who believe and accept his gift of eternal life. Many will choose not to believe. This is their choice. Ultimately a poor choice, but their choice nonetheless. While deeply saddened by it, I respect this choice as theirs to make. I'll be praying that they will make the RIGHT choice before it's too late.
