THE RESURRECTION OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST
“For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures” (1 Cor. 15:3-4 NKJV).
The resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ from the dead is the keystone of the arch of salvation. Remove it and the whole structure of the plan of salvation crumbles in the dust.
The good news of the gospel is that Christ died for our sins (1 Cor. 15:3), and that He rose again (v.4). The resurrection of Christ is the proof that His death atoned for sin.
The wages of one single sin is death. One sin brought the curse of death upon all mankind (Rom. 5:12-15). If the Lord Jesus had paid for all the sins of mankind except one, He could not have risen, for one sin would have been enough to keep Him in the tomb.
When the Lord Jesus arose, it was proof that He had completely met redemption’s price. When He cried, “It is finished!” (John 19:30), the work was fully complete. God the Father was satisfied and then proved the completeness of the work by raising Christ from the dead.
This victory should not only be commemorated on a special day each year but on the first day of every week; in other words, even every day! Because Christ did not remain in the tomb but conquered death by rising again, we can live in the joy of the full salvation provided by a risen, living, coming Redeemer.
(Adapted from RBC Ministries)
Soli Deo Gloria (To God Alone Be The Glory)
Quotation of the Week
“The resurrection assures what Calvary secures!”
Martin Ralph (M.R.) DeHaan (1891 - 1965)
American Bible Teacher, Founder of Radio Bible Class, and co-Editor of ODB
Word Study
Raised up
In Acts 2:24 we read, “Whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it!" (NKJV).
“Raised up” is the Greek word anástasis (ἀνάστασις = an-as'-tas-is). It is made up of two words: “ana” which means up, again, and “histemi” which means to cause to stand. The word means a raising up, (e.g. from a seat), a rising from the dead. Literally, the word means to get up, to stand again, to cause to rise. Figuratively, it means to raise up from the dead or to bring back to life. Death is an agony for all men born in Adam (Rom. 5:12), but for all who are born again in Christ, we have been set free from this agony. For believers in Christ, our death is but a doorway to paradise and the presence of our Lord!
“Fear Nots” Found in the Bible
“So again have I thought in these days to do well unto Jerusalem and to the house of Judah: fear ye not” (Zech. 8:15 KJV).
Did You Know…
Before His resurrection, the Lord Jesus’ half-brothers were unbelievers (John 7:5). However, after James saw the resurrected Lord Jesus, he was converted (1 Cor. 15:7).
Bible Quiz
After His resurrection, the Lord Jesus speaks with the disciples and then He asks for food. What do they give him to eat?
**Answer to last week’s Bible Quiz: What did the Pharisees ask the Lord Jesus on Palm Sunday to do regarding the shouting of the disciples? To rebuke His disciples (Luke 19:39).
Names For the Lord Jesus in the Bible
“ONLY BEGOTTEN SON”
"No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him!” (John 1:18 NKJV).
1. Meaning – ONLY BEGOTTEN SON speaks of the Lord Jesus as the unique, especially beloved One who is Himself God.
2. Insights – The idea here is that no one has seen the essence of God, or has fully known God. The prophets delivered what they heard from God. The Lord Jesus on the other hand, knew God as His equal, and understood fully His nature. This means that the Lord Jesus had an intimate and full knowledge of God which no other possessed, and which qualified Him above all others to make God known. The Lord Jesus had a knowledge of God above that which any of the ancient prophets had. By his Word and Spirit He can enlighten us, guide us, and lead us to the true knowledge of God. The Son of God is God’s interpreter; He is the exclusive explanation of the Father. There is no true and full knowledge of God which is not obtained through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Did You Know – Christian History
Paul Hamilton Hume White was born February 26, 1910, in Bowral, New South Wales, Australia. He was an Australian missionary, evangelist, radio program host and author.
On December 3, 1926, White trusted the Lord Jesus as his Savior. He also decided that if he was going to be a member of God’s family, he “would do so in the full light of day.” At once he began telling people that he had asked Christ to run his life. One of the people he spoke to was his chemistry teacher Bill who was not impressed. “Go for facts, White. That all sounds rather emotional...in anyone’s thinking an empty tomb is a remarkably poor foundation for a religion. Now get on with your work.” White got on with work - the work of telling even more people about Christ.
White needed money to complete his education as a medical doctor. A chemistry job was offered him and he was greatly tempted to take it, but he realized it was a distraction. Instead, he fought hard to win and maintain a medical scholarship. Although far from an ace student, he got the funding and persevered to the end of his difficult courses in which a single failing grade would have cost him his scholarship.
After studying medicine at the University of Sydney, he married Mary Bellingham and together they travelled to Tanganyika Territory (now part of Tanzania) as Church Missionary Society (CMS) missionaries in 1938. God had worked miracles to get White to Africa. In Tanganyika, he learned to clothe his teaching in creative stories and pointed people to the Lord Jesus Christ. He began writing stories. But then his wife’s health forced him to leave Africa and return to Australia. Those stories became known worldwide.
As well as pioneering Christian media in the form of both radio and television in Australia, White was active in student evangelism and is credited with revitalizing evangelical Christian student groups in Australia after World War II. He became general secretary of the Intervarsity Fellowship in 1943. White also continued to practice medicine on a part-time basis right up until his death. White died on 21 December 1992, aged 82.
When we decide to follow Christ, we never know what lies in store. Few of us become as well-known as Paul White was. But the choice to follow Christ remains the most important decision of our lives.
A Little Humor
A preschool teacher, overheard an animated conversation among her students. Little Maria threw out the question: “Who loves God?” All of them responded, “I do! I do! I do!” Billy said, “I love Jesus.” Kelly protested, “But He died.” Billy said, “Yeah, but every Easter He rises from the dead!”
Thought Provoking Church Sign
“God’s communication to man has come through the Christ of the cross!”
