Following JesusSmakprov

How do you follow someone you can’t see? “You said the story was far from over so…” Following Jesus is different than learning from Jesus and remembering Him. Following implies He is living and active. And He is! Jesus did not stay dead. Three days after Jesus died, a group of women went to check on His body and grieve. When they arrived, they discovered He wasn’t there (Luke 24:1-10). Jesus appeared to the women, and later to all His friends, revealing that this was His plan all along (Luke 24:35-48). Jesus was doing more than taking the punishment for our sin. By dying and come back to life, Jesus overcame death so we could live forever with Him! Two things entered the tomb, sin and Jesus, and one walked out with you in mind. This is where faith comes in. You can follow Jesus even though you can’t see Him standing in front of you. How? Through faith. Faith is the belief in something hoped for, the conviction of something unseen (Hebrews 11:1). None of us have seen Jesus with our own eyes, but we love Him and know when we are His. Peter, one of Jesus’ close friends, describes the phenomenon this way: “Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy” (1 Peter 1:8). One day, we will look Jesus in the eye. But until then, we follow Jesus by following His voice. As we read the Bible (Jesus’ words on paper) and listen to the Holy Spirit (Jesus’ Spirit in us), we engage our hearts, minds, and thoughts in the process of learning His voice and following His lead. Reflect: * What about Jesus’ resurrection is hard to believe? * How would it have felt to see Jesus die then hear He was alive? * What does Jesus’ resurrection mean for you? * Is there anything you want to say to Jesus now that you know what He’s done for you? Take a few minutes to talk Him. It doesn’t matter if you speak to Him out loud, in your head, or by writing a note in your journal.