I love the following adage: “Hindsight is 20/20”. There is a lot of truth in this as we review the past. Can you imagine the thoughts racing through the minds of our Lord’s disciples after they saw the risen Jesus that Sunday evening after His resurrection (John 20:19-20)? Although He had told them in advance about His death and resurrection, was it believable?
Not too long before, these same disciples had witnessed Lazarus being raised from the dead and walking out of his tomb (John 11:43-44). They had seen the power Jesus had over the winds and the waves, disease, demons, and even death. But I believe they had also heard what Jesus told Martha in John 11:25 – “I am the resurrection and the life.” That Sunday evening there were ten glad apostles clearly seeing the personification of the resurrection – with 20/20 vision!
Thankfully, they have shared what they witnessed with us by inspiration of the Holy Spirit. We can see the risen Savior clearly through their eyes and believe that He is the resurrection and the life. That is where our hope lives!
In 1977, brother Alton H. Howard wrote the words and music to the beautiful hymn “I Believe in Jesus”. The third verse clearly states what I tried to convey in my comments above:
I believe that He spoke to dead Lazarus,
And He said “unbind and set free;”
I believe that He reigns up in heaven,
And I believe that He is coming again.
Yes, I believe in the One they called Jesus,
I believe He died on Mount Calvary;
And I believe that the tomb was found empty
And I believe that He’s the answer for me.