Hosanna Restoration Church

The question of the day is how do we see Jesus; is He dead or alive? We know that everyday is a day to celebrate His life, but this is the one day each year set aside to celebrate His resurrection. Still, the question we must consider is; “Is He dead or alive?”

Please forgive me for speaking of my own experience, but it is the one I know best so it is easiest for me to share about. I think that for all those years before I was saved, I probably believed that Jesus rose from the dead. At least I know I never argued against that fact. That is probably because I just never thought about it much. So basically for all those years, to me Jesus may have been resurrected, but He really was not alive. He definitely was not alive in me. Still God desired me when I was dead because He wanted me to have the life that is in Christ Jesus.

In this passage of scripture, Jesus comes and asks a question that in the norm we would say, “Now that is a dumb question.” They just watched His life come to an end. They had no idea what they were going to do and He shows up and asks why they are troubled. He goes on to make it very clear to them that He is alive, and since He is alive, things have only gotten better for them, not worse. The fact that He was alive sealed the deal on everything else He had promised them.

So, ask yourself; “Is Jesus dead or alive?” Remember, we are not addressing the resurrection here; we are considering whether or not He is alive. Just so we understand it, He is alive! Scripture assures us that He is alive and that He is interceding for us. Not only that, but He has promised to abide with us, dwell in us, and empower us. There is an old song that says “I serve a risen savior.” If we leave our understanding at the place of the risen Savior, then we leave Him far away. We need to know the living Savior.

Once we make this transition, He can ask us the same questions He asked the disciples. When we doubt, He can ask, “Why are you troubled?” And we will respond, “You are right.” Until we determine that He is alive and that He does not change, we simply do not have that type of response to His words.

We cannot respond to God with doubt. We cannot allow the thinking that says, “I know Jesus is risen, but! He is alive and present. He is listening and answering. He was not raised to go off somewhere and wait. He was raised to come and dwell with us. If we release that life and power into every circumstance in our lives, we will see the results that God intended.