Never the Same

“Do not be afraid.  I am the First and the Last.  I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever!”  — Revelation 1:17b-18a 

 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”  — John 3:16

Because of Christ’s resurrection, the world is never the same. . . .and we are never the same.  Never the same—Praise God!  Surrendered to servant-hood by the power of the Holy Spirit, we are under Christ’s rule—granting us the peace that this brings, nevermore to be enslaved to sin.  Because of Easter, we read the Scriptures and understand that the sting of death no longer applies if we are saved by the shed blood of Christ on the cross at Calvary:  Jesus Christ, crucified. . dead. . buried. . raised on the third day. .for our sin, has opened the door to eternal life in heaven with Him, beginning today. 

The Apostle Paul gave us a strong Easter message in his letter to the Corinthians:

“Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand.  By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you.  Otherwise, you have believed in vain.  For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance:  that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve.”  — 1 Corinthians 15:1-5

How important is this fact of Christ’s resurrection to our faith?  Paul continues:

“But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?  If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised.  And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.  More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that He raised Christ from the dead.  But He did not raise Him if in fact the dead are not raised.  For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either.  And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.  Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost.  If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men.  But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.  For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man.  For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.”  — 1 Corinthians 15:12-22

Easter, on the calendar, came early this year—very early.  But if yesterday, whether deployed or at home, you gave your life to Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, Easter came right on time.  Paul’s words will be new and fresh to you today—because of the word alive.  Once dead in sin, now alive in hope and promise of eternal life because of His atonement.  And that eternal life begins now—with Jesus’ promise in John 10:10 that He came to give us fullness of life, even now.

Before Jesus’ ascension, He appeared with His disciples:  According to Luke’s account,  “Then He opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures.  He told them, ‘This is what is written:  The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.”  — Luke 24:45-47

Because of His justification for our sin, we are never the same!  No peace?  Now you can Know Peace. Only in Christianity is there a risen Savior, who is Alive.   Hallelujah!

“Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life.  He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.  Do you believe this?’”  — John 11:25-26

Questions to Share:

1.        If repentance of sin followed by surrender to the Lordship of Jesus Christ gives eternal life in heaven, what would prevent someone from doing this?

2.        Is there anything that is preventing you from giving your heart and life to Jesus Christ?