By Rev. Dr. Oliver Ottley
District Superintendent Emeritus
Church of the Nazarene
TEXT: Matthew 28: 6, 11-15
6. He is not here; he has risen just as he said. 11. While the women were on their way, some of the guards went into the city and reported to the chief priests everything that had happened. 12. When the chief priests had met with the elders and devised a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money, 13. telling them: “You are to say, ‘his disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep’ 14. If this report gets to the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” 15. So the soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story has been widely circulated. among the Jews to this very day.
FAITH IN THE FACT
OF THE RESURRECTION
The word Easter appears only once in the King James Version of the Bible (Acts 12:4). It is taken from the Greek word transliterated pascha, meaning the Passover. For us, Easter has come to mean The Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.
It is of note that not only the masses did not believe the report of the resurrection of Jesus, but one of His own disciples, namely Thomas, said he would not believe unless he had visible proof. When he saw the risen Christ and touched Him he exclaimed, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “You believe because you have seen, blessed are those who have not seen yet have believed.”
Conversely, so many professing Christians say they believe but whose lives do no evidence that faith. The story is told of a man who reportedly planned to walk across the Niagara Falls on a single cable stretched from one side to the other. Many came to watch him practice for this feat on a tight cable rigged up in his spacious backyard. Some laughed at him, but one person said to him, “I believe you’ll do it.” The man was so excited by that expression that he said to the person, “Sir, I am heartened by your expression of faith in me. I am also planning to push a wheelbarrow across on the cable and I have been waiting for someone who would be willing to sit in the wheelbarrow; would you be willing? That was the end of that man’s belief; he was not willing. Here is the difference between a mere verbal expression of belief and total commitment to a cause.
HE IS RISEN!
In John 3:16 Jesus promises eternal life to all who truly believe on Him. The Easter message calls on all professing Christians to be totally committed to the cause of Christ and to the Kingdom.
On behalf of the Church of the Nazarene in Belize
HAPPY EASTER!
HAPPY RESURRECTION!
GOD BLESS YOU!
