"Dead or Alive"

"In Salem also is his tabernacle, and his dwelling place in Zion." (Psalms 76:2) Don't ask, it just happen that this title appeared on my heart, so I am going with it; let's see where it goes, shall we? First, let me express my opinion on the "rock" Jesus was speaking to Peter about, because it has been taken to mean something that Jesus never intended for it to mean. The "rock" is the proclamation which is given by the Holy Spirit as to who Jesus is, not Peter, or the Church, or the movement and direction of the Way; it is the message of the Gospel that is brought to life by knowing who Jesus is, that He is the Christ, the Son of the Living God! The gates of hell cannot do anything to destroy that truth, no way, no how! Spoken of in the beginning, as the "seed" of the woman, Jesus was the one who would crush the head of Satan and destroy the power of sin and death, once and for all; all the while, just getting a bruise on His heel. This is important for us to know and understand, because it has power like you could never ever begin to comprehend; at least not without knowing and accepting who Jesus really is. The proclamation that Peter made was a really big deal, because in essence, he was saying that Jesus was God manifested in the flesh; that He was the one to come from Heaven and dwell among us, the great I AM. Jesus went on to tell His disciples not to tell anyone who He really was, because it was too soon to make Him known among His people. Now, I know that there are some within the church that do not quite get who Jesus really was and is, because I meet them all the time, and I see the expressions on their faces whenever Jesus is declared to be God; a questionable look on their face, as if something unbelievable has just been spoken. The disciples all came to understand it, and they gave their lives for that truth! Paul also believed it with all of his heart, as he expressed it in every single letter that he wrote, and declared it publicly among both the Jews and the Gentiles, even at the threat of getting stoned or put in prison. It is not something that the world likes to hear, because it was their sins that nailed Him to that cross...  "After Jesus rose from the dead early on Sunday morning, the first person who saw him was Mary Magdalene, the woman from whom he had cast out seven demons. She went to the disciples, who were grieving and weeping, and told them what had happened. But when she told them that Jesus was alive and she had seen him, they didn't believe her. Afterward he appeared in a different form to two of his followers who were walking from Jerusalem into the country. They rushed back to tell the others, but no one believed them (Luke 24:13-35). Still later he appeared to the eleven disciples as they were eating together. He rebuked them for their stubborn unbelief because they refused to believe those who had seen him after he had been raised from the dead. And the he told them, "Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone. Anyone who believes and is baptized will be saved. But anyone who refuses to believe will be condemned. These miraculous signs will accompany those who believe: They will cast out demons in my name, and they will speak in new languages. They will be able to handle snakes with safety, and if they drink anything poisonous, it won't hurt them. They will be able to place their hands on the sick, and they will be healed." When the Lord Jesus had finished talking with them, he was taken up to heaven and sat down in the place of honor at God's right hand. And the disciples went everywhere and preached, and the Lord worked through them, confirming what they said by many miraculous signs." (Mark 16:9-20) NLT