My
study last night and this morning focused on the passage from the first 4
verses in the book of Luke chapter 1
I want to focus on the phrase in verse 1: "…things which are MOST SURLEY BELIEVED among us" and verse 4: "That thou mightest know the CERTAINTY of those things"
.Definition:
Most: in or to the greatest extent or degree
Surely: certain beyond question, unerring
Believe: to accept as true or real
Certainty: established as true
Luke indicating that these things were beyond any reasonable degree of doubt, because they were commonly known to be true. Not just true to them but to society as a whole.
Notice in Acts 17: 2-3
, how Paul reasoned from the scriptures that Jesus was the Christ and the proof was in the prophetic scriptures concerning the suffering of the Christ. His statement: "… and that this Jesus; whom I preach unto you, is the Christ."When I read this, it reminded me of the way we should introduce Jesus, as the Christ.
Well isn't this who he is? Now I want you to notice the opposition to the argument. There is none. The statement was recognized as the truth! Accepted! Notice vs. 29-31 of Acts 17. His argument being that God ordained Jesus the Christ to judge the world. The assurance of the truth concerning this argument came from the proof that God raised Jesus from the dead. There was no denial from the crowd because it was well known that many people had seen Jesus alive after his crucifixion and burial.
He appeared to his disciples a number of times:
*Mary Magdalene, Peter, the Ten (Jn.20:19)
*At the Sea of Galilee (Jn.21:1)
*the 500 (I Cor15:6)
* James at his ascension (Luke 24:50)
* and to Paul (I Cor. 15:8) .
The resurrection of Jesus was an UNDISPUTED fact to the people of his day, and was the focus of the apostles preaching. All the gospels are messages that affirm it and most of the epistles reference it. His resurrection validates every statement or prophecy ever spoken of him. He is Lord, whether men make him Lord of their lives or not, HE IS LORD! And my suggestion is that we should quit playing churchy games and recognize who we're dealing with. All authority is his IN HEAVEN AND EARTH Matt. 28:18. "At His name every knee shall bow before HIM in heaven and earth and things under the earth. (Phil. 2:9-10).
Some day HE will call your name, and HE will say this to you "And why call ye me Lord Lord
, and do not the things which I say?" (Luke 6:46)There is no lack of record, no lack of evidence, there is just a lack of the presence of God in our lives . Can you say you daily walk with him, talk with him , and serve him wholly ? Is your life about you, or the ONE who called you? Have you ever repented of yourself? Really looked inside and measured yourself, saw who you really are? Things concerning God are not a joke. God is real. Jesus is real. Heaven is real. Eternity is real. The cross is real. The penalty is real. The payment is sufficient. The judgment is fact: hell eternal, the lost and doomed.
How do you know you believe?
This letter is from the desk of Daniel G. Ellison
, Director of CITA