| Whatsoever
Things Are True
by Dan Coburn Pastor, Emmanuel Baptist Church pastordan@mtida.net Jesus is risen. So what? What does this mean to me? What should it mean to me? First some food for thought. If this hadn't taken place, none of us would be talking about it. None would be celebrating it, and none would be arguing about - or denying it. The calendar would probably be a flowing time line not divided as it is. The (our) Constitution (if we had one, or if there were a we at all) would be completely different. What am I saying? Something happened. Something stupendous. It happened then and changed history forever. It isn't some recently contrived conspiracy to get folks to walk in line, as some believe. Nearly every culture has some historic writing dedicated to this Resurrection. "OK preacher, something happened, but what has that to do with me - if it effects me at all?" That's the question of the day, and to answer it, let's go to the source. The best commentary on the Bible is --- the Bible. To render it down, The Resurrection of Christ manifested Six critically important things. 1) The physical renewing of Life. Through Him, the Christian receives both life now, and eternal life. Remember what Jesus told Martha? "I am the resurrection and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:" John 11:25. We also receive Spiritual Power - (not to inflict, but rather to endure). "And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places," - Eph. 1:19-20. 2) The Reunion of His Body/Spirit; and so us: "But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first fruits of them that slept. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead." 1st Cor. 15:20-21. 3) The Subjugation of death under Him: "Oh death where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?" vs 55. 4) The Attainment of His new position: You see, He was always God. He was always the Alpha Omega, but now (and this is where we get excited) He is Savior. "And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of the flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast." Eph. 2:1-9. 5) The receiving of a transfigured body: see 1st Cor. 15:52 and following. And 6) God's seal of approval on Everything He (Jesus) said. Let's turn the Spiritual Switch: Is this all true? Believe it or not a better question would be Is it true for you? "For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are being saved it is the power of God." Choose you this day. God bless. |
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