When Jesus entered our world, it wasn’t the peaceful, Christmas card scene we imagine. He came to a people weary from being crushed by 1,500 years of military oppression. They desperately longed for the promised Messiah to rescue them, but their hope was slipping away. Sadly, when Jesus did arrive, they rejected Him because they wanted a king to overthrow Rome, not a servant preaching forgiveness. They wanted political freedom, not heart transformation. Their attitude exposes our own: we ask God to fix our circumstances, while refusing to surrender to His control. But Jesus didn’t come to improve our lifestyle—He came to redeem us from sin and reign as our Lord. Are you resisting the true Savior because you prefer a “savior” of your own making?
Reactions to the Resurrection
The followers of Jesus all had different reactions to hearing the news that He had risen from the dead. One wanted to hold onto a feeling to be sure it was true. Others had to see it for themselves or be given physical proof before they would believe. We still struggle with similar reactions in our own Christian walk. Often our faith fluctuates based on how we feel, or by what we can see, but we must be sure our faith is anchored in something much deeper.
