βChrist died for our sinsβ¦ andβ¦ rose againβ¦ andβ¦ He was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: After that, He was seen of above five hundred brethren at onceβ¦β (1 Cor. 15:3-6).
This mass-sighting of our risen Savior reminds me of a story I heard recently regarding the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln. There were over 500 people in Fordβs Theater the night in which the president was slain, and one of them later talked about what he saw that dayΒ on television. Samuel J. Seymour was 5 years old that night in 1865, and in 1956 he appeared on the television game show βWhatβs My Line?β That means he testified to what he witnessed that fateful nightΒ for 91 years.
And that means that some of the 500 witnesses who saw the risen Christ toldΒ theirΒ story to the members of their generation for the better part of the nextΒ century. Imagine the impact they had in the lives of countless others during those many years.
Now how βbout you? Do you testify to the Lordβs resurrection? The testimony of those 500 brethren now lies silent in the grave. If you donβt witness that βJesus our Lordβ¦was delivered for our offenses, and was raised again for our justificationβ (Rom. 4:24,25), then the story of His saving grace will go unheard among the members ofΒ yourΒ generation. Imagine how many people you can reach in your lifeΒ if you just start now. source
