John 20:29 “Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.”

John 20:30 “And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book:”

John 20:31 “But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.”

Somehow people get it in their mind that the Bible is not admissible evidence or valid witness of truth because it’s intention is your belief in Christ.

… Yes, it’s written so you would believe! … and not only that, but far more! …it’s written so you might believe more, know, have assurance and certainty and hope in this world, it’s written to fully furnish your faith so much so “that your joy might be full”.

The Bible should give you joy if you’re a Christian… yet so many times the Bible results in argument… not Amen! … and from those in whom it ought not be the case. If this is you, it begs the question, what kind of spirit do you really have? “And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.” Most people know what kind of a spirit you’ve got.

… But yes, the people who wrote God’s word didn’t hide their bias towards belief. …Wouldn’t you have believed too if you saw what they saw? …But remember, these guys also were quite unbelieving through Jesus’ ministry… but in time they became so compelled by the his truth that they thought him worthy of the sacrifice of their own lives so others could know about He who changed their lives, us included. …Does that really make them unworthy of your belief in your mind?

In the verse quoted above, the apostle John says you should believe because of what is written. Is what is written enough? It was for Christ himself “it is written”. But he’s presenting to you why you should believe in Christ, and using a most compelling reason to do so… his resurrection! That’s a decent reason to believe isn’t it? The Bible say it’s the reason we will be judged. It also says it’s what proves Jesus is the Son of God. And it also invites us to experience “the power of resurrection” …his resurrection can and will change your life today and forever, as it has shaped eternity forever.

And so the apostle John’s testimony forms part of the Bible, but it’s not just his word… but God’s word also because of the Holy Spirit in John which wrote it… and the Bible is a book of books that will be the best evidence of truth you will ever have in your hands… if it is in your hands that is… or maybe it has long slipped through your grasp? …How long since you handled the Bible? “handle me, and see”… maybe that’s why faith is failing, because so few hands are handling his word… him! … do you know what you’re handling when you’re handling the Holy Bible?

This is the book that will be opened when “the judgment shall sit” and “the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.” …Look, we all understand this a lot better than we think… we use manuals for precious things that we buy to know how to use them… why wouldn’t we use God’s manual for life to know how to use the life God gave us? Yeah you think you know better, isn’t that new, we all do, but you didn’t give yourself life, you can’t even remember the first few years of it… so… what do you know?

… In my life, I’ve found the great majority of people do not dispute that a guy called Jesus lived and was a “good egg”… but they just don’t believe what the Bible says about him … begging the question that he himself asked “why callest thou me good?” … But if anyone could say who Jesus was, is and what he said… these are the guys in his own book who Jesus authorized to speak on his behalf… only to find out it still is just as the prophet said “Lord, who hath believed our report?”

So many people dismiss the Bible as just “the word of man”. But even if that were so, isn’t that all you have… the word of man? And don’t you believe in the word of man already? Don’t you believe evolution… the word of man? Doesn’t get more ridiculous than that and we believe it, trusting God’s word shouldn’t stretch you anymore than that surely! What about covid, remember those days, and what the “word of man” had you believe about all of that… and where is all that wisdom now that everything people held as true during that time has since crumbled and corrupted?

Some remain stoic, but I’ve met a number of people who regret decisions they made, which they made based on honestly believing what they were told and was certified to be true at the time… meanwhile God’s prophets and apostles tell you what they saw, their truth still uncorrupted by time, and they weren’t telling lies with which you will be later stung by… but still you refuse it, even when the name of the Lord Jesus Christ has the power to save your soul! “And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.”

John writes a lot about “testimony” “record” and “witness” in his gospel and epistles… because he really wanted you to believe… based on the fact it was true! See the pure religion of the Bible is not a fanciful faith “for we have not followed cunningly devised fables” … John literally saw the Roman spear thrust in Jesus’ side and he writes “And he that saw it bare record, and his record is true: and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye might believe.”

… God makes his appeal based on truth! And because it’s the truth, that’s why it hasn’t gone anywhere, and will never. What John wrote is both the word of man and the word of God. Jesus was the Son of man and the Son of God, you’ve got a double witness, and if the best human evidence wasn’t enough, God’s doubled down with heavenly witness stamped with heavenly authority. See, Jesus had told John amongst others… go and you will be my witnesses, and I’ll send my Spirit to empower you to do so, and your lives will impact the world such as never happened before and that he would bless all who believed on him through their word without ever having seen what they saw… and all that has happened, hasn’t it.

… What will you write or anyone say or be done today that has that sort of shelf life? Or power to save life? You know the only lasting thing from this world will be God’s word right? The heaven and the earth will pass away… but God’s word is still going to stand! What hope do you have refusing God? You know unbelief and disobedience to God is a work of the devil right? And he’s a liar, deceiver and thief. He doesn’t traffic in truth, he’s the father of lies. And Jesus has destroyed his works, but have his works been destroyed in your life yet? Maybe your unbelief and rebellion says no they haven’t. Don’t you yet know that Satan is already defeated? … or haven’t you received news of the defeat yet while you hold out Hiroo Onoda style?

At Easter, remember, the Christian faith is based on truth. We love, based on truth. We judge, based on truth. We forgive, based on truth. We believe, based on truth. We have the true grace, we believe the true God and eternal life. Satan, the crooked serpent, makes things crooked, God makes things straight. His word will iron out your “kinks”. And the truth is, Jesus did rise from the dead. There’s more proof for that then you even realize, in the Bible, in nature, in the conscience, in the changed lives of believers. The witness isn’t just physical, it’s spiritual, it’s in heaven and on the earth. You are, as the Bible says, without excuse.

And so God in the Bible makes his appeal based on manifestation and revelation of truth. Jesus proved his friendship to his disciples because he told and explained and revealed and manifested to them… just they took time for it to sink in. He’s patient with us also. So just begin like a child, believe the record that God gave his Son and eternal life is in his Son… eternal life not possible if he was dead and buried like everyone else right? Get that foundation laid, and God will build off it. You like to build with the best materials right… start with Christ the cornerstone, the Rock of ages.

You have no idea perhaps as yet how Jesus’ resurrection truly can change your own life. What begins as the witness of ink and paper, or heard in a conversation can come and live in your heart as it did, as he did, in John’s heart “He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself” … you won’t need someone to tell you about it, you’ll know just how much he’s risen from the dead by the power of his life in you! It really is otherworldly, because he is not of this world. This world is full of death, but Jesus has life, I’d switch sides if I were you. Jesus may get displayed as a helpless loser this Easter… but he’s the winner don’t worry about that.

Maybe you’re still stuck in unbelief and unconvinced, and you think you’ll never have proof as good as John had, which if you saw you surely would believe and it would seal it for you… but the proof God gives is better when you get saved. And if you were saved, having “passed from death unto life” … you’d never be the same again. Maybe that’s what you’re afraid of, and your friends, and the devil… the witness and power of a resurrected life.

Like the wrapped up napkin that John saw as he peered down into the empty tomb… Jesus’ resurrection was the wrap on our redemption. The story is finished, it remains for you to be believe in. He will be relevant, either in saving you or sentencing you. Don’t miss the boat! Most of the world missed the boat literally in Noah’s ark when the old world ended… and many are going to miss the boat when this one does too. With that in mind, and the urgency thereof… with only one salvation, one way of escape… of course God and the children of God want you to believe in his Son.. with nothing to conceal, everything to reveal… based on the truth “and this is the record”. Stop being suspicious of God, maybe one day trust him. He’s given you every reason to do so.

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