Jesus - Died, But Very Much Alive!

Jesus was crucified by the religious leaders of his day because he claimed to be the Son of God. When he died he became the perfect sacrificial Lamb of God to bear our sin, to pay our death penalty and to receive all of God's wrath for us.  "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16.

As prophesied, Jesus would die (for our sin) but would be victorious over death and on the third day he would rise from the dead. With resurrection power, God raised Jesus from the dead, allowing us to truly believe that he is the Son of God. Many saw Jesus after he rose. Many saw him return to His Father in heaven. He became the firstborn to rise from the dead. All of us who have repented of our sin and believe in Jesus as our Saviour and make him Lord of our lives and determine to follow him will also be resurrected and receive a new glorified body which will be like Jesus' glorified body when he appeared to his followers.

We have this as a promise. We have a hope. We have a future.  We will live forever with Jesus.  Some of us will die (physically) before Jesus returns again.  Some of us may not die and just be raptured when Jesus returns. Regardless, all believers will  given their new glorified bodies which will be like His when He returns and we will live with Him forever.

We need to make sure we include the resurrection as part of the gospel message.  Otherwise we do not have good news.  With out the resurrection we do not have proof that Jesus is the Son of God and that all of God's promises are true. 'For no matter how many promises God has made, they are "Yes" in Christ' - 2 Corinthians 1:20. The Word is truth. When we share the Word (Jesus is the Word) in the power of the Holy Spirit, it will not come back void.


We also have proof that He is alive because we know that He is living right inside of us. We are to make known to others "the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory." Colossians 1:27  His Holy Spirit which has been given to us leads us, guides us, encourages us, gives us words to speak, and works to do if we listen to Him and trust and obey. We are being transformed into His likeness - righteous, blameless, pure, holy and all the fruits of the spirit.  We have already received our deposit (the Holy Spirit) of our future inheritance. We have received a guarantee that one day we will be resurrected or raptured and live with Him forever. (see Ephesians 1) While we are waiting here for His return and being equipped and serving Him with the gifts and talents He has provided us, He is pouring out His grace and love and every spiritual blessing in Christ on us. He is providing all that we need to have an impact in this world and for His Kingdom to expand.

I would encourage you to study Paul's life and message just as you should study Jesus' life and message. I believe Paul's life verse might have been Philippians 3:10,11 which says, "I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so attain somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead."  Paul also says, "Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ." 1 Corinthians 11:1

The next time you read through the New Testament mark the times you see references to the resurrection. It is key to what we believe and our gospel message. It is our hope and a hope that is sure! Christ is risen from the dead!  He is alive!  He is sitting at the right hand of Our Heavenly Father. He is ruler over everything.  He is interceding on our behalf all the time. He loves you and all those that you know that don't know Him yet. He wants them to hear the good news. Pray for them without ceasing.  He wants them to become part of His family and receive the same inheritance that we receive - eternal life with Christ and a new, glorified body like Christ.

By the way, on the last page of our Bible, Jesus Christ says, "Yes, I am coming soon." Revelation 22:21  He actually says it 3 times in Revelation 22 so you can be assured that he means what he says.  Whose side will you be on when He comes?







   

Jesus - Forsaken by His Father (for an hour)

In The Story we are now reading Matthew 26-27: Mark 14-15; Luke 22-23; John 7-8; 11-12.

In many ways this is a part of The Story in the Bible that I both love and hate as we discover what happens to Jesus in his final hours. Like the "Christmas" story, most of us have heard or read the "Easter - Good Friday" story a number of times. Unless you truly understand, there is nothing really "good" about Good Friday when you hear of how Jesus was treated.

I hate the way they treated Jesus on that day. I don't know how he actually endured all that he went through in those dark hours and they were all dark - emotionally, physically and spiritually. None of us have and will probably never experience what Jesus went through in his last hours.

How would you feel when one of your hand picked disciples, Judas, betrays you? I know he knew ahead of time that this would happen, but its still must have hurt!

What about when Jesus was praying in the garden. He knows that he is going to have to suffer and die. He wishes that he didn't have to go through with it. He asks three times to have this "cup" taken away and finally he gives into God's plan for his life and says "Thy will be done!" Meanwhile his disciples who were ask to pray for and support him can't even stay awake during one of his darkest hours.

What about when his # 1 disciple, Peter, who has followed Him whole-heartedly for 3 years and says that he is willing to die for Him, actually denies him and that he even knows him 3 times! Jesus knew that Peter would do this but just the same, it must have hurt and deeply saddened Jesus.

What about the hour when he is standing before the High Priest, who should have recognized Jesus for who he really was - the Son of God, the Messiah - condemns him to death for committing blasphemy. Jesus was telling the truth that he was the Son of God but they didn't want to believe him.

What about when he was beaten, spat upon and crowned with a crown of thorns and mocked.

What about when he was scourged so badly that he was unrecognizable.

What about when they actually nailed his hands and feet to a cross.

These were all difficult hours but the most difficult hour was the 9th hour when Jesus cries out, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Up to this point, God has always been with His son. The Father was in Jesus and Jesus was in the Father.  Jesus only did what the Father was doing. He only said what the Father was saying. He and the Father had always been one.

During Jesus' darkest hour, God in essence left him or abandoned him entirely during a time when he needed his Father the most. Jesus was bearing all our sin and the sin of the world on that cross at that hour. (2 Corinthians 5:21, 1 Peter 2:24) Because God is Holy and His eyes are too pure, He can not even look upon evil or be in the presence of sin (Habakkuk 1:13) God in essence had to turn His back on His Son. Jesus paid the penalty for our sins. He became the sacrificial Lamb of God that was slain to satisfy God's wrath. His shed blood pays the price for our sin. We are no longer guilty. We are justified and declared righteous in God's sight.    

Fortunately, because of Jesus Christ, Emmanuel (God with us), we can now truly thank God for His promise, "I will never leave thee or forsake thee". (Deuteronomy 31:6, Joshua 1:5, Hebrews 11:5). Jesus also says to us, "I will be with you always, to the end of the age." (Matthew 28:20)  We can have full assurance.

We will never, ever be forsaken by our Heavenly Father like Jesus was during his darkest hour. Because of what Jesus Christ did for us on the cross, when we confess our sin and repent, when we believe in Him and Son of God, our sins are forgiven and we are made whole and Holy in Christ. By faith, we are on the road to becoming more and more like Jesus (sanctification) and we also secure the promise of eternal life and of receiving our new glorified body when He returns and / or takes us home.

As you celebrate Easter and "Great Friday", reread the story again and remember what Jesus did for you - John 3:16 - during his darkest hour. Give Jesus thanks and praise. Express your love to Him. Love Him with everything you are and have. Follow Him. Become like Him and don't be ashamed of Him or ever deny Him.              

Jesus, Son of God. Is there any doubt?

"Who do you say that I am?" ...
This was a question Jesus asked Peter when others were still trying to figure out who He was.  Many saw Jesus as a good man, a great teacher, a prophet and someone who had unique powers to heal, do miracles and drive out demons.  Others wondered whether he was truly the Christ, the anointed one, the Messiah who was prophesied to come. Peter answered this question by saying Jesus is "The Christ of God".  Peter knew for sure that He was the anointed one, the Messiah even before he heard God speak from heaven that Jesus is God's Son, when Jesus was transfigured.

I, like Peter, have never doubted who Jesus is since being saved. I know He is God. He is God's Son. He is Lord of lords. He is King of kings.  He is I AM. I know because He forgave my sins (past, present, future) when I confessed them and repented many years ago.  I also know because the Bible tells me so and God's Word is true. The religious leaders of that day knew that only God can forgive sins.  Jesus said he can forgive sins.  He must be God incarnate, in the flesh. Praise God that I am forgiven and washed in the blood of the Lamb (Jesus) who died for us.

The mother of Jesus (Mary) was told by an angel that the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. (Luke 1:35)

God himself spoke these words from heaven when Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist: "This (Jesus) is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased." (Matthew 4: 17, Luke 3:22)

John, one of Jesus' disciples wrote that Jesus was the Word who was with God in the beginning (John 1:1) and also says, "The Word became flesh and lived for a while among us.  We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14)

Jesus said to Nicodemus, "For God so loved the world that he (God) gave his one and only Son (Jesus), that whoever believes in him (Jesus) shall not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16)  Jesus is God's Son!

The demons know who Jesus is.  When Jesus was healing the demon possessed man, the demons shouted,   "What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God." (Mark 5:7)

When Jesus was transfigured on a mountain and was seen by three of his disciples,Peter, James and John, standing and talking with Moses and Elijah in His glorified body, God spoke from the cloud where they were standing saying, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.  Listen to him!" (Matt 17:5; Mark 9:7; Luke 9:35)

After Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, Martha acknowledges that, "Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world. (John 11:27)

When Jesus was asked by the high priest when he was being tried the night before his crucifixion "Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One (God)? Jesus responded saying, "I am and you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven". (Mark 14:61,62) Jesus, Son of God, often referred to himself as Son of Man also.

When Jesus stood before Herod and Pilate they asked, "Are you then the Son of God?"  Jesus replied, "You are right in saying I am."  (Luke 22:66-71)

Only Jesus, the Son of God has the authority to forgive sins. If you don't know Him yet, you probably know that you are a sinner and need His forgiveness. Turn your life over to Him. Believe in Him. Pray to receive forgiveness and salvation. Then ... read His Word. Grow in Him. Talk to Him in prayer. As a new believer find someone to disciple or mentor you and help you to become more like Him (Jesus). The Holy Spirit will guide you and teach you as you go.  Walk in Him. Rest in Him. Trust Him. He is your help and protector and provider.    

If you already know Jesus as your Lord and Saviour, then there should be no doubt in your mind that He is the Son of God! What a privilege it is to be a child of God, sons and daughters in the God's family thanks to what Jesus, the Son of God, has done for us! One day we too will receive a glorified body and be with Jesus and our Father forever.We are looking forward to our future with Him but also enjoying serving Him while we live in this world. Thank you Jesus for sending us your Holy Spirit to live Your life in us. (Galatians 2:20)
May your name be glorified O Lord, God!