Was asked to write an article for a friend for his website under the title 'Beyond what you see ...' Here it is credit to Amy Orr-Ewing who is the source of most of these words:

Perceptions have a huge effect on our understanding of subjects and events. Perceptions do not, however change the reality that there is something to be perceived. The death of Jesus of Nazareth is something widely perceived to be a farce. Not only did the God-man die but whatever he was achieving by dying appears inconsistent with his apparent resurrection 3 days later!

The Roman emperor Nero had an obsession with the group of believers calling themselves the 'Christians'. He enjoyed torturing them to death. He either burnt them to death as torches for his palaces or he fed them to lions. The problem he had is that they all died singing praises to their God. They all died with a smile on their faces. In contrast Jesus attitude to his death was completely different. In the garden of Gethsemane the Bible records that Jesus prayed in anguish, that he was so unsettled he practically sweated blood (Luke 22:44). Jesus death was clearly something out of the ordinary.

The Bible says that “The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” (1 Corinthians 1:18). Heaven is described as being part of the kingdom of God. It follows that to live in this kingdom you have to live with the Son of God (Jesus) as King. Living with Jesus as King starts by examining the claim that “The wages of Sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).

It makes no difference what you believe if what you believe makes no difference. Will you look beyond what you can see?

More updates soon (I Think).