Its amazing

Impossible; yet it happened! One of the advantages (and there aren't THAT MANY) of being older is that over the years I have seen many, many, different things. Just when I think I have seen it all, something new happens! Sometimes, these new things are very hard to believe, like this video, but, NEW THINGS STILL KEEP HAPPENING! Think about how the people in this passage from the book of John must have felt on the first day of the week.


John 20:1-31 WEB (R)
(1) Now on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene went early, while it was still dark, to the tomb, and saw the stone taken away from the tomb.
(2) Therefore she ran and came to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and said to them, "They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we don't know where they have laid him!"
(3) Therefore Peter and the other disciple went out, and they went toward the tomb.
(4) They both ran together. The other disciple outran Peter, and came to the tomb first.
(5) Stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths lying, yet he didn't enter in.
(6) Then Simon Peter came, following him, and entered into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying,
(7) and the cloth that had been on his head, not lying with the linen cloths, but rolled up in a place by itself.(8) So then the other disciple who came first to the tomb also entered in, and he saw and believed.
(9) For as yet they didn't know the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead.
(10) So the disciples went away again to their own homes.
(11) But Mary was standing outside at the tomb weeping. So, as she wept, she stooped and looked into the tomb,
(12) and she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head, and one at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.
(13) They told her, "Woman, why are you weeping?" She said to them, "Because they have taken away my Lord, and I don't know where they have laid him."
(14) When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, and didn't know that it was Jesus.
(15) Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Who are you looking for?" She, supposing him to be the gardener, said to him, "Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away."
(16) Jesus said to her, "Mary." She turned and said to him, "Rhabbouni!" which is to say, "Teacher!"
(17) Jesus said to her, "Don't touch me, for I haven't yet ascended to my Father; but go to my brothers, and tell them, 'I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.' "
(18) Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had said these things to her.
(19) When therefore it was evening, on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were locked where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, "Peace be to you."
(20) When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples therefore were glad when they saw the Lord.
(21) Jesus therefore said to them again, "Peace be to you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you."
(22) When he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit!
(23) Whoever's sins you forgive, they are forgiven them. Whoever's sins you retain, they have been retained."
(24) But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, wasn't with them when Jesus came.
(25) The other disciples therefore said to him, "We have seen the Lord!" But he said to them, "Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe."
(26) After eight days again his disciples were inside, and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, the doors being locked, and stood in the midst, and said, "Peace be to you."
(27) Then he said to Thomas, "Reach here your finger, and see my hands. Reach here your hand, and put it into my side. Don't be unbelieving, but believing."
(28) Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God!"
(29) Jesus said to him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen, and have believed."
(30) Therefore Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book;
(31) but these are written, that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name.


I know, this is a long chapter, but it is worth reading! I suppose that entire books have been written on this chapter, but for me, one verse seems to stand out for me today. Verse 7 is in bold print and although you might think it odd that I chose this verse, there is good reason for the choice. The rolled napkin was a message that every child who served at table in Israel would recognize. When the master had finished his meal, he would wipe his face and hands with the napkin provided for this purpose and leave the table. When it was rolled (or folded) it meant that he was not finished and would be back. Jesus was coming back! He had been crucified, died and was buried and now he was to return. This he did! Something very new indeed! I have never seen someone come back from the dead, but the evidence is so strong that it really, truly, happened, that its like that impossible golf shot in the video. Its amazing!

And the cat flew by

How could they NOT SEE THE CAT? Good question, but people will see what they WANT to see, nothing more, nothing less. Consider for a moment, this passage from the book of Numbers.


Numbers 14:11-24 WEB (R)
(11) Yahweh said to Moses, How long will this people despise me? and how long will they not believe in me, for all the signs which I have worked among them?
(12) I will strike them with the pestilence, and disinherit them, and will make of you a nation greater and mightier than they.
(13) Moses said to Yahweh, Then the Egyptians will hear it; for you brought up this people in your might from among them;
(14) and they will tell it to the inhabitants of this land. They have heard that you Yahweh are in the midst of this people; for you Yahweh are seen face to face, and your cloud stands over them, and you go before them, in a pillar of cloud by day, and in a pillar of fire by night.
(15) Now if you shall kill this people as one man, then the nations which have heard the fame of you will speak, saying,
(16) Because Yahweh was not able to bring this people into the land which he swore to them, therefore he has slain them in the wilderness.
(17) Now please let the power of the Lord be great, according as you have spoken, saying,
(18) Yahweh is slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness, forgiving iniquity and disobedience; and that will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and on the fourth generation.
(19) Pardon, Please, the iniquity of this people according to the greatness of your loving kindness, and according as you have forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now.
(20) Yahweh said, I have pardoned according to your word:
(21) but in very deed, as I live, and as all the earth shall be filled with the glory of Yahweh;
(22) because all those men who have seen my glory, and my signs, which I worked in Egypt and in the wilderness, yet have tempted me these ten times, and have not listened to my voice;
(23) surely they shall not see the land which I swore to their fathers, neither shall any of those who despised me see it:
(24) but my servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and has followed me fully, him will I bring into the land into which he went; and his seed shall possess it.


Israel had seen all of the mighty works of God and yet had not believed. I can understand Egypt not understanding, because after all, their gods were THEIR gods; But Israel? Perhaps, the reason they could not perceive the wonder of God was that they really did believe in the Egyptian gods. It would have been easy for them to just "go along" with the accepted deities of their culture and accept as reality false gods. It is always easier to go along with the status quo rather than truly seek for truth. Whatever the reason, almost all of Israel could not believe, even though they were in the midst of greatness and had seen God's power work miracles. Just as the people in the picture could not see the cat flying by because they were absorbed in their own interests, so, the people who were supposed to enter the promised land could not see the greatness of the God of heaven right in front of their eyes. Be careful; do not allow our society to dictate our beliefs, but rather, seek to do the will of HIM who raises up rulers and destroys nations!