Risen - A Reflection on the True Messiah
A Resurrection Day Meditation
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So we will consider the true messiah in the context of the 2016 movie Risen, a movie that explores the question: what would you do if you had personally seen both the death of Yeshua[1] and then a number of days later, saw him alive and well, and spoke with him, whose touch you felt and in whose presence you ate and asked him questions. Would that finally move you to faith? Though that question is aimed at skeptics, doubters and unbelievers, the movie also provides encouragement for believers which we'll get to. Without going into all the tenets of the Christian faith, like the gospels this movie gives you ample evidence to believe this section of the Nicene Creed, which is at the heart of the Christian faith and what we're considering today:
The movie follows the experiences of Clavius - a Roman tribune, a commander of centurions, who is given charge of the crucifixion of Yeshua. With a bit of movie license, and in a manner reminiscent of Forrest Gump, Clavius is placed not only at the crucifixion and death of Yeshua (Matt 27.32-61)[2], but also at the confession of Thomas (John 20.27-29), the miraculous catch of fish after the resurrection (John 21.1-7), he's at the Great Commission (Matt 28.18-29) and ascension (Luke 24.51, Acts 1.9) and most crucially for both the movie and our meditation, he is given a scene where, like Nicodemus (John 3.1-21), he comes to Yeshua by night to ask him questions.
But the scene of more significance for our
meditation is the one where Clavius comes to
Yeshua by night. But unlike Nicodemus, who
asks about how to be saved (John 3.1-3), Clavius ponders
whether and why he believes. The movie has
Yeshua saying: "With your own eyes you have
seen and yet you doubt. Imagine the doubt of
those who will never see - that's what they
face."
"Then Jesus told him, 'Because you have seen
me, you have believed; blessed are those who
have not seen and yet have believed.'"
(John 20.29)
Jesus did them one better: he defeated the cross by dying, being buried, and then rising from the dead and presenting himself alive to many people. ( 1 Cor 15.4-8)
He appears both to give them saving faith and to encourage them to remain steadfast in face of the persecution they will face in a Muslim community for realizing Yeshua is the way, the truth and the life[3], which makes Muhammad a false prophet and Islam is a false faith, so consequently they leave it. So which are you? Are you of the type like Clavius, whose encounter with Yeshua changed his life? Will you join in the proclamation:
Jesus Christ is risen! Or are you like the religious leaders of Yeshua's day - where no evidence or encounter would change them? If you're like Clavius, consider this your encounter. For the kingdom of God and the King have drawn near through this testimony. (Mark 1.15) Questions about the faith? Send them to me. I'm doing a series answering 100 Questions about the faith, and if appropriate, would be happy to include yours question.
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Notes 1. Yeshua is the Jewish way to say Jesus which is what he is called throughout the movie and which I have adopted for this article
Back Image Risen promotional image
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