Resting in Grace Easter Plan
Day 1 - Resting in Grace Easter Plan
Believing the Unbelievable
By Jennifer Slattery
“After His suffering, He presented Himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that He was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God.” Acts 1:3
Many find Christianity’s truth claims irrational, perhaps even morbid. At Christmastime, we celebrate the day the Holy Spirit impregnated a young woman with God’s Son. On Good Friday, our children color pictures of that God turned man, nailed to a cross, blood trickling down His face.
The following Sunday, we talk about how the crucified God Incarnate rose from the dead.
How can anyone possibly believe such claims?
Jesus’ disciples wondered the same thing. In fact, when a group of women shared eyewitness testimony of the risen Savior, “their words seemed to them like nonsense” (Luke 24:11). And when two of Jesus’ followers, presumably trustworthy men, told the others they’d personally encountered the resurrected Jesus, “they did not believe them either” (Mark 16:13).
Later, when Jesus appeared to them inside a locked room, unable to process what they saw, their finite minds felt certain they’d seen a ghost!
I understand. I wonder how much evidence it’d take to convince me a dead person returned to life. I wouldn’t rely on one person’s testimony!
Maybe that’s why the resurrected Jesus appeared to hundreds of people in various ways at different times, offering tangible proof of His resurrection.
In our skeptical culture, it’s easy to discredit the miraculous, but God has given us ample evidence that proved He was who He said He was and did what He said He would do, namely take our sins upon Himself, die in our place, and rise from the dead victorious.
From archaeological finds, eyewitness testimony preserved through the centuries, and scads of extent manuscripts, we have an abundance of evidence to verify the credibility of Scripture. But even more powerful is the evidence of transformation revealed in countless lives each day, each one a living testimony to God’s power and grace.
What do you find most challenging to believe regarding Jesus and His truth claims? How has God met you in places of doubt and strengthened your faith?
~Jennifer Slattery
Read today’s verse in context Acts 1:1-11
We look forward to your comments and questions below!
If you want to share this Bible reading plan with friends and family, here is the link:
https://bttb.org/resting-in-grace
By Jennifer Slattery
“After His suffering, He presented Himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that He was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God.” Acts 1:3
Many find Christianity’s truth claims irrational, perhaps even morbid. At Christmastime, we celebrate the day the Holy Spirit impregnated a young woman with God’s Son. On Good Friday, our children color pictures of that God turned man, nailed to a cross, blood trickling down His face.
The following Sunday, we talk about how the crucified God Incarnate rose from the dead.
How can anyone possibly believe such claims?
Jesus’ disciples wondered the same thing. In fact, when a group of women shared eyewitness testimony of the risen Savior, “their words seemed to them like nonsense” (Luke 24:11). And when two of Jesus’ followers, presumably trustworthy men, told the others they’d personally encountered the resurrected Jesus, “they did not believe them either” (Mark 16:13).
Later, when Jesus appeared to them inside a locked room, unable to process what they saw, their finite minds felt certain they’d seen a ghost!
I understand. I wonder how much evidence it’d take to convince me a dead person returned to life. I wouldn’t rely on one person’s testimony!
Maybe that’s why the resurrected Jesus appeared to hundreds of people in various ways at different times, offering tangible proof of His resurrection.
In our skeptical culture, it’s easy to discredit the miraculous, but God has given us ample evidence that proved He was who He said He was and did what He said He would do, namely take our sins upon Himself, die in our place, and rise from the dead victorious.
From archaeological finds, eyewitness testimony preserved through the centuries, and scads of extent manuscripts, we have an abundance of evidence to verify the credibility of Scripture. But even more powerful is the evidence of transformation revealed in countless lives each day, each one a living testimony to God’s power and grace.
What do you find most challenging to believe regarding Jesus and His truth claims? How has God met you in places of doubt and strengthened your faith?
~Jennifer Slattery
Read today’s verse in context Acts 1:1-11
We look forward to your comments and questions below!
If you want to share this Bible reading plan with friends and family, here is the link:
https://bttb.org/resting-in-grace
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"Believing in unbelievable" is a wonderful analysis about why some people have hard time to believe in Jesus. I never thought it in that way, I believe in God without thinking, might from my heart and soul. I think it's a good way to think through others' perspective so that we can preach.
"Acts1:7 He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you." What we shall do is not think or control anything, but to accept and embrace Honly Spirit.
"Acts1:7 He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you." What we shall do is not think or control anything, but to accept and embrace Honly Spirit.
For some time I myself have had doubts bc I couldn’t wrap my mind around Truths/ I’ve never read a devotional like this so thank you. I know now that even the disciples doubted but then they had assurance. My guess is that God gave them the faith they needed to believe?- even in this- he loves me to give me faith. If I’m wrong in any of this please give the right answer bc I don’t want to doubt anymore.
I think in our human state i would have been intently looking up at the clouds as Jesus went up into Heaven too- just in sheer amazement!! I’m glad He’s coming back for us- in the same way He ascended!
As I look back on scripture and read the Bible I believe Jesus rose again. Had I been with the disciples I can understand that they thought they had seen a ghost. Our finite minds have a hard time understanding. Thank you Jesus that you rose from the dead.
1 reply
Hi, cshoke1,
This is Jennifer Slattery from Wholly Loved Ministries. You are so right! I'm so thankful God gives us faith to understand His truths! <3 Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us! They reminded me of just how good God is!
This is Jennifer Slattery from Wholly Loved Ministries. You are so right! I'm so thankful God gives us faith to understand His truths! <3 Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us! They reminded me of just how good God is!
It can be hard to believe some of the Bible's claims, but when God really meets you where you are, none of that seems to matter anymore, as I realized I didn't care the logistics or what my human mind could (or could not) understand, just that Jesus was real and therefore what He said and did was REAL! I have had prayers answers the same day I asked for them and felt His Spirit loving on me during heartache. He has changed me from the inside out and I'll be the same.
1 reply
Kristen, amen! Such a beautiful reminder of how God stirs faith and love for Him within us! One day, while conversing with an atheist, I contemplated my faith in light of a question he had raised. He wanted to know if I'd still believe in Christ if someone managed to prove Scripture to be false. While I know that would never happen as I believe, as Paul said, "Let God be true though every one were a liar" (Rom. 3:4), and God's demonstrated so thoroughly in so many ways the validity of His Word, but all that aside, I've experienced Christ's love and presence; He's proven Himself to me personally, and I'm so grateful for that. I'm so very grateful that God came to us, to meet with us, and to draw us close. Such a precious gift!