Easter Reflections
Thursday Apr 18th, 2019
"When the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, heard his cry and saw how he died, he said, 'Surely this man was the Son of God." (Mark 15:39).
"Then Jesus said to Thomas, 'Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.' Thomas said to him, ' My Lord and my God!'" (John 20:27-28).
These verses represent two different settings: one - Jesus' death, the other - after his resurrection. But I am fascinated by the similarities. In both situations, each person observes something about Jesus that has to do with his physical body - how he died; holes in his hands and side. In both situations, each person responds by recognizing something about Jesus that is not physically observed - he is God. How did they make that jump? Physical realities led them to the only logical conclusion - there was something spiritually significant about Jesus. The centurion recognized it because of how Jesus died. The disciple recognized it because of the evidence that Jesus HAD died but was now alive again. They both reached the same conclusion - though physically a man there before them, Jesus was clearly more than a man. He was God.
I like how Thomas responded. "My Lord and my God!" He moved beyond the simple recognition of the evidence that Jesus was God to the life commitment that Jesus is Lord. How will you respond to Jesus in light of the reality of who He is and what His death and resurrection accomplished?
