Happy
Easter to you all! I have three points that I want to bring up today.
Number one: Because Jesus is risen from the dead we know that He is God. Jesus did amazing things on Earth. He did feats that, quite frankly, only God could do. Examples: Jesus made stormy weather cease by simply speaking to it; He multiplied five loaves of bread and two fish so that thousands not only were fed, but there were baskets of leftovers; He could also perceive what other people were thinking (Matthew 9:4).
But the event that probably shocked everyone the most is when He brought Lazarus back from the dead after his being in the tomb four days. For Jesus Himself to be resurrected, then, only displays yet again the power that God Almighty would logically have. The resurrection fortifies the truth that Jesus is God in human flesh. There is a fascinating verse tucked away in Romans 1. In verse 4 we read that Jesus “was declared to be the Son of God in power…by His resurrection from the dead.”
Number two: Because Jesus is risen from the dead we don’t have to fear death. I have seen death firsthand. It struck my dad unexpectedly back in 2015; this event turned my world upside-down. I know personally how death looks like a powerful foe that cannot possibly be defeated. But this isn’t true. Jesus Christ defeated death! Billy Graham has a section on Jesus’ resurrection in his book “Peace with God." He writes, “As a result of the resurrection of Christ, the sting of death is gone and Christ Himself holds the keys…the power of death has been broken and death’s fear has been removed.”
I recall an Easter service many years ago where this particular church had death, in an allegory, speak. Downtrodden and depressed, death remarks, “I remember when I used to be something. But now, because Jesus conquered me, all I do now is act as a portal to usher believers to Heaven.” As the hymn puts it, “Hallelujah for the war He fought. Love has won, death has lost.” The song goes on to declare, “And when I breathe my final breath I’ll have no need to fear that rest. This hope will guide me into death.”
Number three: Because Jesus is risen we can trust in Him. It’s amazing to note just how many times Jesus said, in no uncertain terms, not only that He was going be executed – which is incredible enough – but also that He was going to rise again. Read through the gospels. You'll see that He repeatedly stated that He was going to die, but that He would be raised. If Jesus didn’t back His prediction up, He would have been revealed to be a lying charlatan. The resurrection is the litmus test for everything that Jesus said. If Jesus did rise from the dead (and historical evidence overwhelmingly supports that He did), then you and I can trust not just in what He has said, but also in what He has done.
Someone is reading this and you've never put your faith and trust in Jesus Christ alone to forgive you of your sins. Perhaps you've never considered the work and claims of Jesus before. But you stumbled upon these words. It's not an accident. God loves you and wants to have a friendship and fellowship with you. You might be saying, "Kevin, I don't really know you, but I think we have been living in different worlds. If you knew the life I've led; if you knew the sins I've committed, you would be shocked and appalled." Here's the good news: Jesus died on the cross to atone for all your sins. The Bible says, "For Christ suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that He might bring us to God." I'll say it again: God loves you and wants to have a friendship and fellowship with you. The kind of life you've led is immaterial.
Now you might be wondering, "If what you say is true, I want that. What do I have to do to obtain this?" All you have to do is put your faith, trust, and belief in Jesus. The Bible says you are "justified by His grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation [meaning an acceptable, atoning sacrifice to God] by His blood, to be received by faith." You don't try to work your way to Heaven; you simply accept, by faith, what Jesus has already done for you. Take the free gift today. Talk to God in prayer. It's not a magical arrangement of certain words, but you could say something like, "Lord, I know I'm a sinner in need of a Savior. I need You. I need You to save me. Please forgive me of all my sin. By faith, I put my trust and belief in You today. Thank You for your mercy and grace toward me. In Jesus' name, amen." If you made a decision for Christ, let me be the first to congratulate you!
But the event that probably shocked everyone the most is when He brought Lazarus back from the dead after his being in the tomb four days. For Jesus Himself to be resurrected, then, only displays yet again the power that God Almighty would logically have. The resurrection fortifies the truth that Jesus is God in human flesh. There is a fascinating verse tucked away in Romans 1. In verse 4 we read that Jesus “was declared to be the Son of God in power…by His resurrection from the dead.”
Number two: Because Jesus is risen from the dead we don’t have to fear death. I have seen death firsthand. It struck my dad unexpectedly back in 2015; this event turned my world upside-down. I know personally how death looks like a powerful foe that cannot possibly be defeated. But this isn’t true. Jesus Christ defeated death! Billy Graham has a section on Jesus’ resurrection in his book “Peace with God." He writes, “As a result of the resurrection of Christ, the sting of death is gone and Christ Himself holds the keys…the power of death has been broken and death’s fear has been removed.”
Number three: Because Jesus is risen we can trust in Him. It’s amazing to note just how many times Jesus said, in no uncertain terms, not only that He was going be executed – which is incredible enough – but also that He was going to rise again. Read through the gospels. You'll see that He repeatedly stated that He was going to die, but that He would be raised. If Jesus didn’t back His prediction up, He would have been revealed to be a lying charlatan. The resurrection is the litmus test for everything that Jesus said. If Jesus did rise from the dead (and historical evidence overwhelmingly supports that He did), then you and I can trust not just in what He has said, but also in what He has done.
Someone is reading this and you've never put your faith and trust in Jesus Christ alone to forgive you of your sins. Perhaps you've never considered the work and claims of Jesus before. But you stumbled upon these words. It's not an accident. God loves you and wants to have a friendship and fellowship with you. You might be saying, "Kevin, I don't really know you, but I think we have been living in different worlds. If you knew the life I've led; if you knew the sins I've committed, you would be shocked and appalled." Here's the good news: Jesus died on the cross to atone for all your sins. The Bible says, "For Christ suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that He might bring us to God." I'll say it again: God loves you and wants to have a friendship and fellowship with you. The kind of life you've led is immaterial.
Now you might be wondering, "If what you say is true, I want that. What do I have to do to obtain this?" All you have to do is put your faith, trust, and belief in Jesus. The Bible says you are "justified by His grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation [meaning an acceptable, atoning sacrifice to God] by His blood, to be received by faith." You don't try to work your way to Heaven; you simply accept, by faith, what Jesus has already done for you. Take the free gift today. Talk to God in prayer. It's not a magical arrangement of certain words, but you could say something like, "Lord, I know I'm a sinner in need of a Savior. I need You. I need You to save me. Please forgive me of all my sin. By faith, I put my trust and belief in You today. Thank You for your mercy and grace toward me. In Jesus' name, amen." If you made a decision for Christ, let me be the first to congratulate you!
I'll conclude today with this: Aslan the Lion was gone.
That’s where we left him on Good Friday. He had sacrificed his life in C.S. Lewis’
“The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe”.
His act was noble, heroic, and inspiring, but nevertheless Aslan was
still gone when Narnia needed him. Lucy
and Susan, who saw this sacrifice, cried until “they could cry no more” as
Lewis, via the narrator, put it. Hours and hours passed,
and the girls were enveloped in their grief.
As
the morning light dawned, Lucy and Susan were stunned to see Aslan very much
alive (with his mane flowing in all its glory). When they asked Aslan how this was possible,
he explained that there is what he called a deeper magic that the witch knew
nothing about. Incidentally, when Aslan
speaks of magic, he is referring to the binding laws and ordinances of
Narnia. He says, “When a willing victim who had
committed no treachery was killed in a traitor’s stead…Death itself would start
working backwards.” Aslan is a picture of Jesus Christ. Jesus died for us, but He didn’t stay that
way. He is risen!
Kevin
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