I am the Resurrection and the Life
Today’s Verse:
Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: ~John 11:25
Todayis Resurrection Sunday, otherwise known as Easter Sunday. The word “Easter” is found once in the Bible and is the word “paschal,” where we get “Passover” from. Easter is synonymously used to refer to the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus told Martha, “I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.” In this one sentence, He powerfully summed up the greatest testimony to His deity and validity of Christianity.
The resurrection of Christ is a position.
“And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins” (1 Corinthians 15:17). The resurrection is a cardinal and indisputable doctrine of the Christian faith. It is the central to the gospel message. Without the resurrection of Christ, our faith is no different than that of man-made religions. Paul said that without the resurrection, our faith is in vain and we are still in our sins. The resurrection is central to our message. We preach that Christ died on the cross, but we also preach that He is risen from the dead. Resurrection means that Someone Who was dead is alive! The power of death and the grave no longer has a hold on that Person. Jesus rose from the dead by His own power. We declare that Christ is risen!
The resurrection of Christ is a Person.
“I am the resurrection, and the life.” The resurrection is summed up in our Lord Jesus Christ. He is the authority of the resurrection. He is the first-born from the dead. He is the One Who has overcome sin, Satan, and death. His resurrection gives living hope to every person who believes on Him as personal Saviour. His resurrection makes salvation personal to everyone who believes. Paul said, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” The embodiment of the resurrection is found in Christ.
The resurrection of Christ is a power.
It is the power to save! It is the power to overcome! It is the power to keep going when things are difficult. It is God’s power! It is uninhibited power. It was unleashed power on that resurrection morning. It is power that rolls away the stone that impedes our faith from being victorious. It is power that removes the grave clothes that bind us and try to keep us captive to sin. It is glorious power that enables us to overcome sin and live for God. It is power that changes a bad day and makes it a “God day.”
The resurrection of Christ is a persuasion.
“And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?” The resurrection must be accepted in faith. Jesus asked Martha, “Believest thou this?” The resurrection of Christ enables us to understand death and the Christian. When we die, we still are alive! While we are alive, we never die! The chains of death were broken when we believed on Jesus Christ as our Saviour. Death is the gateway into God’s presence for the believer. To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. Death is gain for a believer. Faith in Christ for salvation means that we are passed from death to life. Death is the Christian’s graduation into everlasting life.
Hallelujah! Christ is risen from the dead. Rejoice and celebrate this morning that we have a Saviour Who is risen and worthy of all our praise.
Have a worshipful God Morning!
Bible Reading Schedule: 2 Kings 1-3