Wednesday: He Is Risen
Early Sunday morning the women went to the tomb with a single purpose-to complete the burial ritual. Despite the time they had spent with Jesus, they had not truly understood what was to happen. They were certainly not expecting an empty tomb, or to be told by heavenly messengers: He is not here, but is risen
(Luke 24:6).
Image © Lars Justinen from GoodSalt.com
In the first few chapters of Acts alone there are at least eight references to the resurrection of Jesus. Acts 1:22; Acts 2:14-36; Acts 3:14-15; Acts 4:1-2, Acts 4:10, Acts 4:12, Acts 4:33; Acts 5:30-32. Why was the resurrection of Jesus so pivotal in apostolic preaching and in the faith of the early church? Why is it still so crucial for us today, as well?
The women were firsthand eyewitnesses to the resurrection of Jesus. They rushed to share this good news with others, but no one believed them (Luke 24:11). Instead, the apostles dismissed the greatest story in redemptive history as idle tales
of exhausted and grieving women (vss. 10-11).
How soon they were to learn just how wrong they were!
The resurrection of Christ is foundational to God’s redemptive act and to the totality of Christian faith and existence. The apostle Paul makes that very clear: If Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty
(1 Cor. 15:14, NKJV). It is empty, or vain, because only in Christ’s resurrection can we find the hope that is ours. Without that hope our lives here end, and they end for eternity. Christ’s life didn’t end in a tomb, and the great promise is that ours won’t either.
If Christ is not risen from the dead, the long course of God’s redemptive acts to save his people ends in a dead-end street, in a tomb. If the resurrection of Christ is not reality, then we have no assurance that God is the living God, for death has the last word. Faith is futile because the object of that faith has not vindicated himself as the Lord of life. Christian faith is then incarcerated in the tomb along with the final and highest self-revelation of God in Christ-if Christ is indeed dead.
-George Eldon Ladd, A Theology of the New Testament (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1974), p. 318.
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His death and resurrection is crucial, in my view because it signifies two very important ideas. The first, is the death of sin or the old you. Christ died because living in sin means death is certain. However, the resurrection is hope that we can have life eternal. The earthly death is not the end all, be all for Christ Followers. It is the hope of a new life with the God heads without the pain of sin that takes the finality(sting) of death away from the human heart. It lets me know that no matter how bad this life gets if I live to serve God with all my heart there is something better to come. The early church needed the hope just as badly as we need it today.
I also think about Jesus on the cross dying from the sins of this world. He then feeling the separation from his father in the worst possible way, but hoping for the reuniting of the two. This must have been one of the rays of hope to get him through while the other being the redemption of man.
We need to remember by the grace of God that there is a brighter tomorrow. (Col 1:5)
Thank God for Jesus.Death is dead.Who killed Death? Jesus did. Jesus said no more need for Christians to worry about Mr Death, Jesus got rid of him forever on behalf of Christians.Christians are now stronger than death.Glory to the Godhead forever and ever and ever---------.
I serve a risen Savior.. Thank you for the blessed hope of life eternal Jesus. Because of you, death itself shall die, because of you sweet Jesus we will reign forevermore if only we keep our eyes on the light; and that light is YOU!
Thank You for your tremendous sacrifices..
Thank God for Jesus, we are not without hope for his rising from the dead is crucial to our destiny.
Because Jesus died for our sins ...we too must die to for him or in his name so we too can be risen from dead and reign with him in heaven and we are going to be immortal no more deaths and no more tears...Jesus had set the path for us to follow him and be with him heaven ..thank you Jesus I love you.
In my bible studies with heathens, animists, other Christian denominations, this is the most is the most crucial and vital doctrine of all for it negates few of the above beliefs on death, immortality of the soul and the deluding hell and secret rapture. Allow me divulge on these separate divulging concept from the biblical data and doctrines;
1). Heathens;
(see Dictionaries - Easton's Bible Dictionary - Heathen - hhttp://www.biblestudytools.com/dictionary/heathen/) In Old Testament it refers as other nations of the world who were not Jews (who were a peculiar and called out people for a specific purpose) and heathens were idolaters and New Testament has a similar shade of meaning and strangers to the revealed religion. So I tailor my study guides of stories in the bible that highlights the controversies of these idolaters and their gods versus Bible Heroes with His/Her God. Also I pick out specifically beliefs of these various idolaters doctrines since it was part of my secret society to learn and respect rules and protocols of other nations and rules of engagement when it concerns one of their victims citizen of that nation. It is important to bring this out in your studies so that the person will see for him/herself how their distorted doctrines came about and it is demonic and deceiving. Thus you do not have to condemn for your prospect has already seen that and decided already and you do not have to name calling her belief in that whatever belief or church.
2). Animists;
(https://carm.org/dictionary-animism) "Animism is the belief that everything in the universe contains a living soul--the belief that every object is indwelt by a spirit." So I tell stories in the bible that pertain to this belief which is prevalent in the Old Testament and show them all the animist societies and its doctrines so they decide for themselves the erroneous doctrine of their current beliefs. I was a born Animist for my grandmother my father's mother, I was taught at an early age to the rules and whims of this religion until I was 17 years old.
3). Secret Societies;
see In Ancient Pagan Religions:& The Pagan Mysteries and the New Testament: http://www.biblestudytools.com/dictionary/mystery/ . I will tell stories about the stories on these concepts, Meditation, Hypnotism, Levitation, Astral Travel, Talking to the Dead, and there are two types of demon possession first completely taken over by the demon and act look strange and secondly, Mental Poisoning indoctrinating error or error mix with truth and this one of the most dangerous strategy of the Devil.
4). Other Christian Denominations; So if you are in a big tent meeting or group bible studies in your neighborhood or just one to one bible study the tackling of the above beliefs has already troubled the non SDA Christian but you do not have to worry but show what some other Christian denominations teach and belief are just taken out from these, heathen religion, Animism, Secret Societies that has saturated and polluted humanity especially Christendom. Once you thoroughly discuss this with your prospects you solve the myth of state of the dead, hell, pantheism, animism, immortality of the soul et al.
Yes I would agree that the Resurrection of Christ is not only the foundation of Christendom but the soul and heart of the Gospel for it removes fear, mystery, unknown but soothes the soul for it removes fear of our judgment for Jesus had died our death, being condemned for our judgment and being glorified for our already being in Christ in Heaven (Colossians 3:1-4). Yes this to me the heart and soul of the 3 Angels message or the Basic of Salvation Motif message.
For me, it was enough that Jesus healed the sick without using conventional medical mechanisms, caused the lame to walk, restored sight to the blind, relieved others from demon possession and raised people from the dead. In most of these incidents it was by Word and touch, amazing stuff! In other instances, the sick weren't even around, he just spoke the Word and they were healed wherever they were. The woman with the issue of blooded was healed even though Jesus 'wasn't aware'.
All these are amazing and mysteriously beyond what my mind can fathom. But, to raise Himself from the dead is phenomenal and beyond comprehension for me! Never before do we see Jesus 'aiding Himself'. In fact in many instances it seems He starved Himself. He didn't even get water from the Samaritan woman.
It's funny though that the thief on the cross believed that Jesus could help Himself and them. Even more, he knew that Jesus helped even 'sinners', hence he said to Jesus, save yourself 'and us', this thief wasn't even selfish, he said 'us', including the other thief. What a contrast between those who claimed to know the law and prophecies and this their.
Also let's share the good news that jesus is raisen just like those women who went to tomb to see jesus body. For God is true nd alive all we need first is to believe then we share to others. God bless us all amen.
I'm just so thankful that God took me from darkness into light that I knew Him better and experience the gift that He gives to the people that follow Him by faith.
I too thank Christ for the ultiment sacrifice. His death made a way for me. His resurection is evidence to solidify my faith in resurection and eternal life. Christ rising from death is part of the plan of salvation. Picture with me three circles intersecting forming an area where their intersections overlap. Circle one is Christ life, example, preaching, teaching, and serving. Circle two is Christ death on the Cross. Circle three is Christ resurection. The area in the middle is salvation, eternal life, and the wedding garment. To be complete we could add a fourth circle, Christ assention being our advocate before Our Father forever.
I Will Glory in the Cross.