Resurrection Meditation

Let’s review this Faith you’ve heard—the one that saves you—if you hold to it to the transformation of your soul. Or did you just nod its way in some sort of passing notion?

Here’s what I’ve come to understand and what I’ve taught:

Jesus, God’s Anointed One (the Messiah or Christ), died for our sins, just like the Bible foretold.

He was buried (of course).

He was raised on the third day (!), just like the Bible said He would be.

He then appeared to Peter and the Twelve (who were all willing to die over this point of testimony!)

He appeared to over 500 all at once.

He appeared to James,

to all the apostles,

and last of all to Paul–transformed from persecutor to willing martyr—All on this question of what Jesus did.

This is The Faith that was poured out on me and, oh, the change it has brought. So it doesn’t matter who you heard it from, this is the heart of The Faith you believe to be saved.

But here’s what bothers me: If this Faith rests on Jesus being raised from the Dead then how can some of you say that it all ends at Death? Lights out? Story over? That there is nothing after Death except The Grave.

Because if no one rises from the Dead, then Jesus hasn’t been raised either. And if Jesus isn’t raised from the Dead, then what we’ve taught is useless. What you’ve believed is the most empty of promises.

If Jesus isn’t raised from the Dead
then The Faith is useless.
We have believed in Nothing.

Even worse, all of us who teach The Faith are guilty of lying about God! That is, if Jesus is still a corpse.

If Jesus hasn’t been raised from the Dead,
then you’re still guilty,
still lost,
still dead in sin.

And what about all those people who died believing in Jesus and his resurrection? If Jesus isn’t raised from the Dead they’re lost! (So many when Paul wrote this but how many more in the centuries since.)

The Faith can’t be true if Jesus is not raised from the Dead!

Forget this “If this isn’t true, if Jesus isn’t raised from the Dead, then at least I’ve lived a good life.” That’s excremental nonsense!

If Jesus isn’t raised from the Dead then we are most pitiful, total losers!

But let’s get this straight:
the witnesses are reliable.
Jesus has, in fact,
been raised from the dead.
He is the first of God’s great harvest of those who believe.

God arranged it this way:
Since Death came to humanity through one man, Adam, then Life will come to us through one man, Jesus.

In nature,
in Adam, everyone dies.
But in the supernatural,
in Jesus, we can be made alive!

What symmetry! What order! First Jesus rises, then when He comes again all who belong to Him rise from the grave. Then comes The End when Jesus triumphantly hands over His Kingdom to God the Father.

Jesus will reign until all His enemies have been humbled, defeated. God’s put everything under Jesus authority—everything except God, that is. When everything and everyone is finally submitted to God then Jesus, the Son, will step aside, taking His place under God’s rule. Perfect Order!

So let’s get this straight:
If there’s no hope of raising a corpse, if Death is truly The End, then why go to all this trouble? Why sweat the details of living a God-pleasing life?

If there’s no resurrection
why risk our lives for The Faith?
If there’s no being raised from The Dead
then sacrifice and martyrdom aren’t heroic,
they’re stupid!

But it’s Resurrection Power, New Life, that motivates everything I say and think. It’s Resurrection that pushes me to speak, to live.

If there’s no resurrection,
Then eat and drink—Party On—for tomorrow
we’re Dead.
End of Story.

Don’t be foolish. Jesus resurrection is real. When you hear people arguing no-resurrection nonsense remember that “bad company corrupts good character”. Think about what’s right and stop sinning. You can’t afford such foolishness. It saddens me to say that it’s obvious some of you don’t know God at all. Aren’t you ashamed?

(see 1 Corinthians 15)

Posted via email from Ferndale Tonight