They Think Jesus Isn’t Alive (1)

PASTORS OF the Church of God are supposed to be people who demonstrate great love for Jesus Christ who called and set them in ministry. They must be people with tested conviction that Christ Jesus lives thus inspiring them to minister with honest expectation of His return to judge the world in righteousness.

However, these days many pastors behave as if Jesus Christ does not exist. They appear to have no relationship with Him or they doubt His promised reappearance. These pastors are bad stewards as they misappropriate church funds, refuse to abide in the doctrine of Christ and teach the commands of Christ as instructed in the Scriptures, and indulge in all manner of evils as if eternal damnation is a prank.

These are the conducts and attitudes of false ministers and victims of deception who are doing ministry for self-enrichment. True ministers of the gospel are unique as they remain faithful in Christ Jesus and testify of His existence having encountered Him supernaturally through dreams, visions and trances. Several ministers have spoken and written about these encounters with the Lord in this generation just as John did in his day.

In John’s account, he wrote that, “When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, “Fear not, I am the first and the last, AND THE LIVING ONE. I DIED, AND BEHOLD I AM ALIVE

FOREVERMORE…” (Revelation 1: 17- 18)

Unquestionably, Christ is not dead; He is alive. He told John that, “Behold I am alive forevermore.” It is true that Jesus died, and was buried but He rose again after three days. He ascended to heaven to be with His Father but He promised to come back to dwell with believers. He promised to come back to be with His servants to guide them to continue with the church building until the end of the world.

“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you. I WILL NOT LEAVE YOU AS ORPHANS; I WILL COME TO YOU…YOU HEARD ME SAY TO YOU, I AM GOING AWAY, AND I WILL COME TO YOU…” (John 14: 16- 18, 28).

The Lord Jesus is alive; He dwells and speaks with true Christians but the world does not see Him. Unbelievers cannot and will not be able to see Him. “…THE WORLD WILL SEE ME NO MORE, but you will see me. Because I live, you will also live” (John 14: 19).

Jesus said the world would see Him no more. What does this mean? It means that the world had seen Jesus before. It saw Him from the day He was born. The people of Bethlehem saw His birth place. The three wise men saw His star and visited Him, and made donations of gold, frankincense and myrrh to Him. King Herod heard of His birth and was greatly troubled and desired to kill Him.

The people of Nazareth obviously interacted with Him as they bought furniture from His father’s carpentry shop. His friends played with Him. They often saw Him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. Many people saw Him grow in wisdom and stature, and how He worked with His father.

The Pharisees and Sadducees argued with Him on His teachings and miracles. They saw Him attending church meetings and listening to His teachings of the Word of God in their synagogues. John the Baptist bore witness about Him. Many people saw His baptism by John and how the Holy Spirit descended upon Him.

One day, as He had the opportunity to teach in the synagogue, the Jews heard Him quoting Prophet Isaiah, saying, “The Spirit of the LORD is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor…” He chose disciples, trained and commissioned them to work for Him. He preached the kingdom of God in many communities – cities, towns, and villages.

He worked great miracles and performed mind-boggling signs and wonders. He turned water into wine, raised the dead, healed the sick, opened the blind eye, cleansed the lepers, cast out evil spirits, walked on the sea, commanded the sea and storm to be quiet. Oh yes, they obeyed Him!

To fulfill a prophecy, Judas Iscariot betrayed Him for money to be crucified. The Roman soldiers killed Him by nailing His hands and feet to the Cross, dying between two sinners.

Joseph of Aremathea got Him buried in his own personal prepared tomb. A huge stone was placed at the entrance of the tomb to prevent His body from being stolen or taken away.

But three days later, His mortal remains could not be found in the tomb. He had risen from the dead! The Lord then appeared to many people especially His disciples. He spoke with them and taught them so many things. Then later, He ascended to heaven. He was seen being taken up into heaven. But the truth is that Christ Jesus is still alive. That is why John wrote testifying that,

“Fear not, I am the first and the last, AND THE LIVING ONE. I DIED, AND BEHOLD I AM ALIVE FOREVERMORE, and I have the keys of Death and

Hades” (Revelation 1: 17- 18).

Yes, our Lord lives eternally. Unfortunately, however, this time, the world cannot see Him. Only true worshippers of God see Him. He Himself said, “Yet a little while and THE WORLD WILL SEE ME NO MORE, BUT YOU WILL SEE ME. Because I live, you will also live” (John 14: 19).