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To Brother K, Part 2
To Brother K, Part 2
 
Brother K!
It is already April.
I remember my time in high school hiking in the mountains and fields, while getting drenched by the gentle rain. It is the time when the essence of spring is exploding out loud, while I stop for a moment in the muddy pathways.
At that time, I had sung to a popular song of that time “Song of April”
 
“Under the Magnolia swing
I read of Werther’s poem
Under the clouds springing,
I blow the fife.
Ah, far away in the nameless,
Aboard the ship I go on this harbor,
As April returns,
The light to the life turns on.
It is the essence of dreams,
It is the essence of the rainbows…”
I was humming the tune as I tried to recollect and write the lyrics down.
Brother K!
While I read of this letter you sent, this place is not such a romantic harbor. This city is just a corner of a tangled mess of technology, greed and speed. We cannot experience the lightness that passes through the spring, and would never have the opportunity to listen to the harmonious chorus of the spring.
But!
I cannot forget and be so thankful that even with the busyness of life, I am able to join this small party of universe’s festive.
Even through any pain, suffering or death, it is the time to celebrate the resurrected Christ who defeated death. I was so happy and elated to hear that you have accepted Christ as your Lord and is very happy about it.
As you have become the child of God, on your very first Easter, I will tell you how I felt during my first steps in Christian life to experience the everlasting life’s beauty. One of the main things that I was skeptic about in the beginning was of the resurrected Christ. Well it is well known that one of the disciples of Jesus was also like it.
Was the resurrection of Christ real?
Why does Christianity stress so much on the resurrection of Christ?
Why other founders of other religions did all died and did not resurrect? Were such questions, and I had once thought of that also.
As normal people would say, this was not some sort of hoax that his disciples had spread. Also there were many accounts in the Bible of how his tomb was rolled open, but no one had eye-witnessed the resurrection. Nor did the accounts of people who had met the resurrected Christ, their happiness were never all once agreed upon.
How could a false and fake religion spread the Truth? Are there any idiots who would sacrifice their own lives for the sake of this falseness?
When I read of the Bible, oddly enough however, there is the story of how mercilessly Jesus Christ was crucified upon the cross. But the story does not end there, and after 3 days he had resurrected. If one was to say a convict who was crucified and resurrected the Messiah, how did such community of believers form know full well their life was on the line? Without going through these questions, the truth and the fundamental foundation of Christianity cannot be understood.
Brother K!
I would now like to tell you how and why the resurrection of Christ is historically accurate and real. It is the most important part of my history of becoming a Christian. After witnessing the resurrected Christ, Apostle Paul who used to ruthlessly persecute the Christians had changed so drastically, and of his disciples who had cowardly hid away became so bold in passing the news. Reading from the 1st Corinthians Chapter 15, (which was at the time around 55AD, while Paul was writing to the church in Corinth) out of 500 or so people who had witness the resurrected Christ, about half of them were still alive.
Another reason is, as he is the only son of God, his life could not end in his death, nor should that happen. Because when he was still alive, he prophesized about his death and resurrection in 3 days, and he had promised of the everlasting life. If his resurrection was false, the Bible would be false document, the Christian would just be someone being led under a liar. Not only is that, our God, almighty who had created everything nothing but a fake. When I read and reflect upon how human Jesus Christ was and was amazed by the truthfulness of the disciples. Also when I read the life style of those who had recorded the resurrection, all of them had different stories and that lead me to the truth. Why? Because in experience of life, a significant even is always viewed in multiple points of view and are different each time.
Brother K!
As there are no ways to take pictures or record of the stories of 2,000 years ago, and none cannot explain the resurrection of Christ, I can indefinitely say that I believe. Like we don’t have to believe everything that we see. One theologian stated this: “Jesus Christ was not resurrected because of the proclamation but is proclaimed because of his resurrection.” The first Christian church members all proudly proclaimed “Because he lives, he lives with God forever!” boldly without fear.
Brother K!
One day, you and I would have to leave all this behind? But would our life end in vain?
Would our fond memories and experiences and friendship all end? It cannot happen and will not happen. Apostle Paul said, “Without resurrection, our faith is all but naught.” If there is no resurrection, then we would have to fear death. Also there is no point in believing in God, live righteously, and truthfully either. But as our Lord had promised, through our death, God’s story would be proclaimed throughout the universe. Since the omnipresent God had watched over us throughout history that we never will or have experienced, and had promised but know that it can happen to me, and is promised by God and I can live and die for that. God who has resurrected the crucified Christ, and as long I believe in Jesus, I cannot remove the resurrection from my confessions of faith, nor can I ever remove it from my witness.
Brother K!
I can almost see it! Through the gentlest of the rain, of the things I can see. Our view of the spiritual world is so limited, but like the hills and the mountains and the plains exists, the thin rains that wets the flower buds, as it explodes into blossom, today’s insecurities and the unknown can be rather a brighter future for ahead.
April!
As the trees sprout leaf, I pray that your spirit of resurrection also blossoms mightily in your faith. I will pray for you. Cordially,
April 29th, 1990
From long away, Paul HeungGu Lee
Number Title Reference
56 Of Spiritual Freshness
55 How to Serve? (John 15:13)
54 Of Happiness
53 Of Faith
52 Why Jesus?
51 Of Love
50 Wait For the Lord.
49 Pilgrim Vs. Wanderer
42 To Brother K, Part 2
41 To Brother K -1-
48 Overcoming Nihilism
47 The Joy of Saint
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