Author and Finisher

Matthew 27:62; 28:9

GOLDEN TEXT: “Let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of our faith.”—Hebrews 12:1,2

ONE cannot be a true Christian without believing in the resurrection of Jesus. This was a miracle—the most outstanding miracle recorded in the Bible. Many, even professed Christians, endeavor to explain the miracles of the Bible in harmony with the operation of natural law. This may be possible with some of them, but Christianity is robbed of its vitality and true meaning to a lost race when we endeavor to take from it the fact of divine miracles. This is one of the great lessons that is brought home to us each spring of the year when we commemorate the death and resurrection of Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith.

The idealisms of Christianity, as summarized in the Sermon on the Mount, have unquestionably been a potent factor in the molding of many lives to a pattern of justice and mercy and love. The influence of these teachings helped to lift the professed Christian world to a higher social level than would otherwise have been attained. But more, much more, is needed than the persuasive powers of Christian ethics to save the human race from the results of its own selfishness. This can be accomplished only by the miraculous intervention of divine power in the establishment of the Kingdom of Christ.

And how well the lesson of Easter assures us of this! The beautiful example of Jesus’ life; the gracious words which fell from His lips; the miracles He performed, were overshadowed in the minds of His disciples by the tragedy—as they viewed it—of His death. The results of His brief ministry of three and one-half years would soon have been forgotten by all except the few who had benefited most, had He remained dead. It was the fact that God raised Him from the dead which convinced the disciples that their beloved Master was indeed the Messiah and enkindled a zeal in their hearts which caused them to carry the Gospel message far and wide.

In God’s providence the circumstances surrounding the resurrection of Jesus were such as to leave no room for doubt as to its genuineness. In this respect, the unbelief of Israel’s leaders was utilized for good. They requested Pilate to seal the Master’s tomb and to set a watch to prevent the disciples from stealing the body, and then to announce that Jesus had been raised from the dead. Pilate consented. The tomb was sealed and the watch set; but it served only to emphasize the reality of the resurrection.

That was more than nineteen centuries ago, yet even today the heart of every true Christian pulsates with joy when he thinks of what this miracle means to him and to all mankind. Pentecost, fifty days after the resurrection, was the occasion of another miracle on behalf of the church; but since then the followers of Jesus have walked almost entirely by faith—faith in what their predecessors reported as having seen and felt. True, they have had the witness of the Spirit in their lives. They have been richly blessed by the overruling providences of God. They have known that their Redeemer liveth; but there have been no more miracles such as the resurrection of Jesus.

This has not impaired the faith of true Christians, but it is the reason why millions of nominal Christians and the world in general are losing faith in the thesis that there is a God who is caring for the interests of the human race. To them there seems no good reason why miracles should be spaced so far apart. They feel that the exercise of divine power to straighten out the tangled affairs of the nations today would be most appropriate. Why, they ask, should we emphasize the miracles of the past, when there are none now at a time they are so much needed?

Poor world! How little the people realize that what they think God ought to do is in reality what He is now doing, only on a much more comprehensive scale than their limited viewpoint can appreciate. The only thing which will solve the world’s problems is the establishment of Christ’s Kingdom, and in order for that to be done, all humanly constituted authority must be set aside. It is natural that while this is being done, and until the people learn the significance of what is occurring, they will be in great confusion.

And so again this year, for those who know the real meaning of the resurrection, its anniversary brings increased faith and hope, not alone for themselves, but for the whole world. As we have opportunity, let us tell the world that Christ does live, that He is now present setting up His Kingdom, and that soon, when the “shaking” of the old world order has accomplished its purpose, the “desire of all nations shall come.”

QUESTIONS:

Is there any necessity for endeavoring to explain the miracles of the Bible from the standpoint of natural law?

What is one reason why so many today have no faith in God?

In addition to the manifestation of divine power, of what was the resurrection of Jesus an evidence?

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