The Scriptures – April 23, 2021

[Jesus said] “Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.”
Luke 24:44

The Scriptures

It is January of 2000, and a man by the name of Christian Hosoi has hit rock-bottom. He has fallen a long way. Throughout the 1980s and early 90s, Christian Hosoi reigned as royalty in the world of professional skateboarding with all the fame, money, and jet-setting that went along with it. Then he began dabbling in drugs. The dabbling morphed into an addiction. He stopped competing. Instead, from 1995 to 2000, he ingested crystal meth every day. Now he is under arrest for drug trafficking with intent to distribute. He’s facing ten years in prison.

He calls a friend. In Christian’s mind, what he needs is a good lawyer or at least money for bail. Instead, his friend tells him to find a Bible. He does. He pages around at first, not quite knowing what to read or where to start. Soon enough, however, he settles in. Once he begins, he does not stop.

It is the Sunday evening of Jesus’ resurrection from the dead. Jesus has already made several appearances that day. Now he appears among his disciples. At first, they are startled and frightened. To assure them he has truly risen, he shows them his hands and feet and eats some broiled fish.

Once he has established that he really is alive, Jesus turns the disciples’ attention to something else. He points to the words of the Bible. “Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me,” he says. Then Jesus continues: “This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name.”

Several weeks after first opening the Bible, Christian Hosoi is still reading. Even though the walls of a jail surround him, Christian is beginning to know a freedom he has never known before. The Scriptures declare that Jesus died on a cross for his sins. The Scriptures declare that Jesus has risen from the dead. The Scriptures declare that forgiveness is his through faith in Jesus the Christ.

Today, Christian Hosoi serves as a pastor in California.

Prayer:
Thank you, risen Christ, for your Holy Scriptures. Through your living Word, keep me close to you. Amen.