We serve a risen Savior!
It was nearly three days and three nights after the crucifixion. The body of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Messiah, was laid in a tomb outside Jerusalem, near the place He was crucified. They had anointed it with a lot of perfumes and dressed it with nice clothes. But what would be the benefit of this all? A dead body is a dead body, regardless of the clothes it is dressed or the perfumes and oils it is anointed. Lazarus’ body was dead and smelling decay. What would remain of it, if the Lord had not raised him from the dead would be just a sum of bones. But not this body! Not Jesus’ body. HIS BODY WAS THE ONLY ONE THAT DIDN’T SEE CORRUPTION. JESUS WAS THE ONLY ONE THAT DIED BUT RAISED AGAIN, LIVING FOREVER. He is the firstfruits of the dead (I Corinthians 15:20)! He had told the disciples that he would die and raise again after three days but they didn’t understand Him. They put Him in nice but grave clothes and anoint His body with nice perfumes, like they would do to a very honorable dead. They didn’t expect what happened three days and three nights after the crucifixion. May be nobody expected it: HE WAS RISEN! God raised Jesus Christ from the dead! Matthew gives us a summary of the wonderful things that happened that day:
Matthew 28:1-10, 16-20
“ Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it. His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow. And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men. But the angel answered and said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. "He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. "And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him. Behold, I have told you." So they went out quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring His disciples word. And as they went to tell His disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, "Rejoice!" So they came and held Him by the feet and worshiped Him. Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go and tell My brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me."… Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them. When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted. And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, "teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen.
“ Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it. His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow. And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men. But the angel answered and said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. "He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. "And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him. Behold, I have told you." So they went out quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring His disciples word. And as they went to tell His disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, "Rejoice!" So they came and held Him by the feet and worshiped Him. Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go and tell My brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me."… Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them. When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted. And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, "teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen.
Those who guarded the dead, became as dead and the one that was dead became alive! Christianity’s Head is alive! As the Word of God says in II Corinthians 13:4 :
II Corinthians 13:4
“For though He was crucified in weakness, yet He lives by the power of God.”
“For though He was crucified in weakness, yet He lives by the power of God.”
And as Paul told the Jews in Acts 13:26-39
Acts 13:26-39
"Men and brethren, sons of the family of Abraham, and those among you who fear God, to you the word of this salvation has been sent. "For those who dwell in Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they did not know Him, nor even the voices of the Prophets which are read every Sabbath, have fulfilled them in condemning Him. "And though they found no cause for death in Him, they asked Pilate that He should be put to death. "Now when they had fulfilled all that was written concerning Him, they took Him down from the tree and laidHim in a tomb. "But God raised Him from the dead. "He was seen for many days by those who came up with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are His witnesses to the people. "And we declare to you glad tidings----that promise which was made to the fathers. God has fulfilled this for us their children, in that He has raised up Jesus. As it is also written in the second Psalm: `You are My Son, Today I have begotten You.' "And that He raised Him from the dead, no more to return to corruption, He has spoken thus: `I will give you the sure mercies of David. "Therefore He also says in another Psalm: `You will not allow Your Holy One to see corruption.' "For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell asleep, was buried with his fathers, and saw corruption; "but He whom God raised up saw no corruption. "Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through this Man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins; "and by Him everyone who believes is justified from all things from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses.”
"Men and brethren, sons of the family of Abraham, and those among you who fear God, to you the word of this salvation has been sent. "For those who dwell in Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they did not know Him, nor even the voices of the Prophets which are read every Sabbath, have fulfilled them in condemning Him. "And though they found no cause for death in Him, they asked Pilate that He should be put to death. "Now when they had fulfilled all that was written concerning Him, they took Him down from the tree and laidHim in a tomb. "But God raised Him from the dead. "He was seen for many days by those who came up with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are His witnesses to the people. "And we declare to you glad tidings----that promise which was made to the fathers. God has fulfilled this for us their children, in that He has raised up Jesus. As it is also written in the second Psalm: `You are My Son, Today I have begotten You.' "And that He raised Him from the dead, no more to return to corruption, He has spoken thus: `I will give you the sure mercies of David. "Therefore He also says in another Psalm: `You will not allow Your Holy One to see corruption.' "For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell asleep, was buried with his fathers, and saw corruption; "but He whom God raised up saw no corruption. "Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through this Man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins; "and by Him everyone who believes is justified from all things from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses.”
God raised Jesus form the dead! As it also says in Romans, by this it is proven that He is God’s Son (Romans 1:4), the only begotten Son of God! What a wonderful reality brothers! What a wonderful reality! In this present evil age, humanism and Satan, its god, have elevated good morals kicking out the name of our wonderful Lord. But we don’t serve a teacher of good morals. We serve the raised Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, King of kings and Lord of lords!
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