Convincing Proofs

I feel the need to speak at length here about convincing proofs. This has come about because our Lord saw the way I was being totally fooled about convincing proofs. He saw how I was interpreting and understanding the word, convincing, according to natural scholarship.

I was understanding and interpreting the word, convincing, as dependent on the person being convinced. For example, the salesperson is speaking to me, trying to convince me to buy a certain product. I am given a perfect demonstration of the product. I am impressed by what I see and even more impressed by what I hear, in relation to the extensive versatility of the product. Then the salesperson waits for me to make up my mind, to have the product or not to have it. I can do so immediately, or I can say that I will think some more about it and get back to the sales person. Was this the trend and premise of convincing that Jesus was giving to His disciples? Of course not! Our Teacher made me see my utter folly and erroneousness. Perhaps, if you are like me, you also are being changed in mind, right now.

The first thing to note is that Jesus was not convincing any and every one about Him being alive. He was convincing His own, those who knew Him and knew Him well at that. They were those who followed Him, lived with Him, obeyed Him, loved Him and gave up much, to follow Him. They were those who were taught by Him daily and went around with Him as He did His Father’s work, here on earth.

The second thing follows from the first. It is because they know Him so well, so intimately, that He is able to convince them by saying, Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Luke 24: 39a. Jesus wants His own to see the truth, as it is. They know all about how their Master’s body has been nailed to the cross, hands and feet. He shows them His risen, nailed-pierced body. Jesus does all that is necessary, withholding no evidence, addressing every single doubt, fear, unbelief, scepticism, and every single tiny show of hesitation even, to convince His own that He is alive and with them.

When I think of Jesus spending forty days, not four, but forty days, including evenings and night, just to ensure their conviction of truth about Him, is staggering, to say the least. Think about it. There must be higher reasons, loftier reasons than just Jesus wanting them to know that He rose in Person. Remember, He knows that He is returning to the Father in a little while. He has to ensure that His disciples, His followers, are perfectly convinced that He, their Lord, Master and Saviour, rose from the grave and is with them in flesh and bones, not some ghostlike apparition.

In this action of Jesus going around to His servants, giving them convincing proofs, I am held fast, as I am told this. Jesus was not there to convince His disciples that He was alive. He was there to convince them that He was alive in flesh and bones.

We believe that Jesus Lives! How?

Jesus went around convincing them yes, but not the convincing, of which I spoke, with the salesperson. Jesus doesn’t have to leave the decision up to us, whether to believe or not. Think for example of Thomas, who would not be convinced of his Lord’s resurrection, no matter what the others told him. However, when Jesus came in Person to him and he saw and heard his Lord, all he could do was cry out, My Lord and my God! John 20: 28b. When Jesus convicts and convinces us of Himself as a Living, flesh and bones, Person, we have no other response but to fall before Him, in deep surrender.

We accept that Jesus lives! Where?

Jesus also was careful and specific in what He taught them. He spoke about the Kingdom of God. He taught them differently, in that the Kingdom of God was now to be taught by them. They had to be convinced that He was flesh and bones as they are, so that they, while in their flesh and bones, will bring in the Kingdom of God. For all who are born of the Spirit are born of God and you, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. Romans 8: 9a. All of us who are born of God must know new bodies, for the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead, will quicken our mortal bodies. We are then convinced, not by human design nor desire, but by our Lord’s Spirit who lives in us. This is all of the Spirit and not of the flesh.