MATTHEW 28:1-6 – Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went 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 and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men. But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay.”
THEME OF THE DAY: THE CHRISTIAN LIFE IN ONE WORD. I know the theme of today’s scripture seems so simple and certainly doesn’t cover the wide spectrum of what constitutes the living out of the Christian life, Yet, I maintain the truthfulness of the theme – the Christian life in one word. And what would you say is that one word? The astute Christian immediately shouts “Jesus” and He certainly is the foundation stone of Christianity. Without Jesus, no Christianity, but I am thinking of another word and it is inseparable to who we just proclaimed is Christianity. That word? It is described in today’s scripture and expounded by the angel with the words, “He is not here, for He has risen, as He said.” It is the word “resurrection” and applies first to the Lord Jesus and every child of His.
When it comes to the importance of Christ’s resurrection, John MacArthur said, “The truth of the resurrection gives life to every other area of gospel truth. The resurrection is the pivot on which all of Christianity turns and without which none of the other truths would much matter. Without the resurrection, Christianity would be so much wishful thinking, taking its place alongside all other human philosophy and religious speculation.” But the resurrection of our Lord is not to be kept “locked in the theological and doctrinal vaults” of our heads and minds. The theology of resurrection is the power of the resurrection to live the Christian life. This becomes so clear and practical in the sixth chapter of the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Romans. Here is the application of Christ’s resurrection in the believer’s life and thus empowering him or her to live the Christian life as God provides for and intends. As we read the first eleven verses of Romans 6, pay close attention to the references of our union with Christ in His death AND resurrection. By appropriating these two spiritual realities, we will easily see that the Christian life is truly captured in one word – resurrection.
What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin. Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus (Romans 6:1-11).
May the Lord open our eyes to see the power of His resurrection made practical in our lives so we might live the newness of life He gave us!
PRAYER: “Father, I praise You for the sure hope of power in this life and eternal joy in the next because Your Son rose.”
QUOTE: “Resurrection. It is the foundation of our faith and without Christ being raised from the dead, we have no faith.”
Because of Him,
Pastor Jim