Resurrection Day

We hear the phrase ‘fake news’ repeatedly, lately.  Here is another whopper. A fuzzy bunny that delivers eggs. Chocolate eggs! Who knew, right? Now trust me I have absolutely nothing against these two necessary food groups. Both my goto dishes when I need comforting.  Also, celebrating the coming of spring, with flowers and jellybeans, in itself, is harmless enough.  But, let us make a commitment to the truth, to tell the truth, to stand for and upon the truth.  The resurrection of Jesus the Messiah  from the grave, three days after He was brutally tortured, beaten, hung on a cruel cross, stabbed in the side and buried, is the single most important event in the entire history of the world. His horrifying death, which seemed to be the end of a great ministry, a great movement, was actually the defining moment, the greatest pivotal event ever.  God, who is all powerful, all knowing and in all places, left the glory of heaven, became a man, and lived among His own creation as His own creation. If that’s not impressive enough, “…..(He) who knew NO sin, (became) sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” 2Corinthians5:21  This is a remarkable truth. Why would anyone want to muddle it up with silly stories that confuse and belittle the greatest, most important, eternal, life giving truth?  Because they either oppose the truth of God or are ignorant to the facts of the resurrection of Jesus. Either way, they believe fake news. The resurrection of Jesus happened exactly as the Bible teaches. He arose on the morning of the third day, rolled away the stone covering the tomb, and later appeared to His faithful followers. Over the next 40 days he continued to appear to, eat with and talk with His followers. His body never saw decay. “Therefore, let it be known to you, brethren, that through Him forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, and through Him, everyone who believes is freed from all things…”Acts13:38  Only through faith in the resurrection of Jesus can a man be saved, purified and enter into eternal life.  The resurrection of Christ, God’s greatest work is not to be trifled with.   There is another resurrection that we must mention. It is our personal raising from the dead, in a spiritual sense, at our baptism. Romans 6:4 “…we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead…so we too might walk in newness of life.” Romans 6:13 “…. Present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead…”  When we were baptized into Christ, we were crucified, dead and buried, spiritually. When we rose out of the water we were spiritually “raised” or resurrected similar to the resurrection of Christ. This is how God sees it, our first resurrection !!    There remains yet another resurrection to mention. 1Corinthians 15:41-58 speaks of the resurrection of our decayed physical bodies (in the grave) at the end of the world, the day that the “last trumpet shall sound”. The mortal body will be buried in the earth, “sown” (:42). It will be “raised” imperishable. This second resurrection sees our physical bodies transformed or “changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye” (:52).  We will be given a new, immortal bodies with which to live in the presence of  almighty Good for eternity. We are not afraid of death. We welcome the end of life on this earth which is the beginning of life in the glory of HIs presence. “Where O death is your victory???” (:55)  It is not. Thanks be to God who gives us victory over death and the hope of resurrection, eternal salvation in His presence. The resurrection of Jesus ordained this process for all those who love God and have faith in Christ.  Therefore, be immovable, stand firm in the truth.        Happy resurrection day!