“He is not here, but is risen…”
The above text is the angel’s messages to the women who brought spices to Jesus’ grave. This message had a profound meaning to these women and to all of the followers of Jesus. Christ’s resurrection brought three significant gifts to those who believed in Him and followed Him. The resurrection brought a new hope to believers then and now! When Jesus died on the cross and was placed in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea, the hopes of His followers were dashed. They were still afraid and were hiding out together in the upper room. His disciples doubted that He had risen, but when they saw Him their hope was renewed. This hope is a gift to all of us who believe. Because Jesus lives, we are never without hope. Like His early followers, we need to grasp this gift of hope and live our lives in that hope no matter what life brings. If you have Jesus, you have hope. Believe it and live it! The resurrection brought a new life to believers then and now. It is eternal life that begins with the moment that we believe and will end in heaven with Him. The essence of this life was caught in 1 John 5:10-11: “He that believes on the Son of God has the witness in himself: he that believes not God has made Him a liar; because he believes not the record that God gave of His Son. 11. And this is the record, that God has given to us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.” This is as true to those of us who believe today as it was to the women at the tomb and to Peter, James, John, Andrew, etc. The life that Christ gives us is a new quality of life. I do not like to think about what the quality of my life would have been if Christ had not come into my life. This gift of new life is available to all who believe. The resurrection brought new opportunity into the lives of believers then and now. For example, Jesus told His disciples that He would “make them fishers of men.” In Acts 1:8, just before He ascended, Jesus told His disciples what this new opportunity would entail: “But you shall receive power after that the Holy Spirit is come upon you: and you shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” We have the opportunity of being Christ’s witnesses wherever we are. These “gifts of the resurrection” are gifts to us. Let’s grasp them as we celebrate Christ’s resurrection. I Bro. Joe
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AuthorDr. Joe Beauchamp is the author of this blog and website. Categories
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September 2021
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