In the 'seventies, I worked in England, and every other year, we
would come back to Canada on home leave. Many times, when we returned to
Europe, I would take a little present for the people who worked with me
in the office.
One year, I took some nice little jugs of maple
syrup. I explained to them what maple syrup was, that they could put it
on their pancakes, and that it was very tasty.
They asked me
where it came from, and I told them that it came from a tree and that it
is harvested in the late winter. I explained that holes are drilled in
the trunks of maple trees, and a spout is driven into these holes. The
sap drips into a pail hung on the spout, and this sap is then
evaporated, and what is left is maple syrup.
The recipients
listened attentively and nodded as if they understood. Maybe they did,
but one fellow did not believe me; he just could not believe that syrup
came from wood. I tried and tried to convince him. I explained it to him
over and over again, and I told him that what I told them was true, but
he just would not believe me. I told him, "It is the truth. You can
believe it or not."
Shortly after the resurrection, Mary
Magdalene told the others that Jesus was alive, but as the Bible says,
"They did not believe." That is the way it was then, and that is the way
it is now. But the resurrection of Jesus is one of the best-attested
facts of history and the cornerstone of the Christian faith. Over 500
people saw Jesus on one occasion, so it was not a hallucination. His
enemies might have produced His body to disprove it. Unlike previous
Jewish movements that had collapsed, the one led by Jesus was propelled
after the leader was killed. And most of all, the fact that many
witnesses of His resurrection were willing to suffer martyrdom rather
than to renounce the resurrection, shows how convinced they were of its
truth.
What a wonderful revelation the story of Easter is to all
who believe! It gives us the assurance that Jesus is the Son of God,
that He died on the cross for our sins, that He arose a victor over
death, and that through that very fact, we can have peace in our hearts
now and hope for the future.
Prayer: Our Father in heaven, as we
hear the wonderful story of Easter again, we pray that many will believe
the truths of the Bible. We pray that You will give us the strength and
the ability to tell people about it, in Jesus' name. Amen.
Joel Jongkind
Meaford, Ontario, Canada
