Convincing You with Convincing Proofs
Have you ever been pranked, or joked, or convinced to believe something not true just for fun? I have many times, all in fun. In fact I am one of the most convincing people you will meet. I have the most serious poker face and can fool most anyone, even the skeptics. But I do it all in fun. In fact I am so convincing. I sometimes fool myself with the story I am telling. I am so convincing that I have to reveal the truth really quick after the story as to not mislead anyone. Trying to convince something for fun is one thing, but doing it to mislead them is another and not right.
I was brand new on our church staff and had only been there a short time when I convinced the entire staff one day that my wife who was 40 years old at the time, was pregnant. It was a great story and I was making it up as I went. I was so convincing that the whole room was silent in shock and just stared at me for a moment like what were we going to do now that she is pregnant. I had the most serious face and told the story so convincing that they were at a loss for words. After a few minutes of awkward silence, the senior pastor asked me how I felt about the news. I paused with a dramatic look on my face and replied, “All I know to do is to tell you …April fool’s day!” Yep, it was April 1st that day at staff meeting and that should have been their first clue but I was so convincing, I pulled off one of the greatest April Fools prank ever.
The fun part of this talent is to try it on people that don’t know me well. They believe me right away and don’t really know any better. I get a lot of laughs when I reveal the truth. Let it be said too, I always reveal the truth in fun. I am not a liar or story telling of lies. I do this in fun for a laugh. I would never convince someone to believe a lie.
This month Christians will be celebrating the resurrection of their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in a season they call Easter. I am one of those that firmly, without question, believe that Jesus died on a cross for my sins and was raised to new life again to be my Lord. I have been a believer for over 30 years and have never doubted the story of Jesus. In this story there is not just one person trying to convince the world to believe the resurrection. God knew exactly what he was doing in bringing Jesus back to life and just how to tell the truth about it.
First the two Mary’s arrived at the grave and witnessed the stone rolled away from the tomb. That in itself was a convincing proof because the stone was so large it would have taken a lot of men to roll it aside. Plus there were guards watching the tomb. Another convincing proof was when the earthquake rolled away the stone door to the tomb and the guards were right there watching it happen. Next, the two Mary’s looked inside the tomb and were greeted my two angels telling them that Jesus had risen from his grave. That would have convinced me! Jesus’s disciples heard the news and were told to go to Galilee and there they saw Jesus and even took hold of his feet. Jesus then met the two men on the road to Emmaus and talked and walked with them. They did not recognize him though. Jesus then appeared to others and they touched him as he told them he was not just a spirit. Sprits do not have flesh and bones as he did. In fact Jesus ate fish they had given him as they watched more convincing proofs before their eyes.
During the time after Jesus had risen, he spoke to many, was touched my many, and even ate with many. That would convince me to be an eye witness to these facts. But some were still skeptical and doubted the resurrection. They claimed he was not Jesus but another prophet. They just could not believe a person could be resurrected from the dead I guess. I wish I would have been there, I would have convinced them and this time of the truth and not a joke or prank.
In the book of John chapter 20 verse 29 Jesus spoke these words to Thomas who was doubting. “Because you have seen me, have you believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed.” Then John wrote these words. Many others signs therefore Jesus also performed in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book; but these have been written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in his Name. John 20:30-31
Do you believe that Jesus died on the cross for your sins and that God raised him from the grave that we may believe in a living Christ? It is a true story that has endured over 2000 years that has changed lives and given hope. It is still a celebrated time for all these years we call Easter that we worship a risen Savior. It was those convincing proofs that enabled the spread of the Gospel truth about Jesus across the world. If you are not a believer, take a few minutes to read for yourself the convincing proofs about Jesus in the Bible and then pray and ask God to reveal his truth to you. Here are more verses for you to read that will guide you to Jesus and a belief in Him. Romans 3.23, 6.23, 5.6-8, 10.9-10, 10.13, John 3.16
If you are a believer, praise God! Please share this article with someone you may know that is not a believer yet. Use this special time of Easter season to share your beliefs with others about our risen Savior and help convince others there is hope.