I realize we should be talking about Jesus’ birth, but I just read the end of Matthew and made a discovery.  Jesus was killed, and the Jews posted guards at His tomb because they were afraid His disciples would come and take His body and claim that Jesus was alive, like He said He would be.  These guards were on duty Sunday morning, the earthquake happened as an Angel appeared and rolled away the stone in front of Jesus’ tomb.  They saw it happen, and then they fainted (who would blame them?).  They went back to the Jewish leaders and explained what they heard and saw.

In light of this first-person account what did the Jewish leaders do?  Did they accept the facts?  Did they glorify God?  Did they repent?  Heck NO!  They went back to the original story, paid the guards off and told them that if anyone asks the disciples took Jesus (dead) body away in the night.  I read this and asked: “How can anyone be so hard hearted?”  Then it hit me – nothing has changed.  In fact, we have the ability to reject reality and make up a reality of our own.  You don’t believe Jesus is really God?  Make Him a “good, moral teacher”.  Don’t like the idea that He died?  Say He just passed out on the cross.  Uncomfortable with the Resurrection?  His disciples came, overpowered professional guards, rolled a huge stone uphill and took Jesus (dead) body and hid it away.  See how easy that is?  It is almost as easy as changing your own gender….

The problem with all this is that none of what you may hold to be “true” does not change reality.  Truth is absolute.  The truth is Jesus is alive!