He Lives
"This is
My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased" (Matthew 3:17)
In the next
office, “Ladybug” (as she is called by her niece) has been listening to
the latest Sarah Brightman CD, which is beautiful to hear. The cover of
the album is red, and “Ladybug” is radiant each time she hears that
wonderful singing voice. She said, "I am soaring" in relation to it.
I am soaring
also, for the music is indeed beautiful, but there is much more. The
music is called "Eden", and I am reminded of our Lord, who is the "last
Adam" (1 Corinthians 15:45) and is the Savior of the world. I am
soaring in the wonder of my Lord.
Early in
history, the first Adam failed to do the job, and he became the drowning
man who died and dragged the rest of us down with him. Jesus, like
Adam, was our representative, and this time, the Agent did the job for
you and me. Adam sinned and his sin became a contagion that spread
through the gene pool of humanity, polluting all that ever lived. Jesus
became like us in every way but one: He did not sin at all - ever.
Until the time
of his fall, Adam was pure, with innocence like nothing we can imagine.
I work in a factory in the mornings, and as I walk through the welding
shop, I must look away, for the welding torches are so bright they would
damage human eyes. Adam's innocence was like that - too bright for us
to comprehend. And then he fell; utterly fell, like an eagle that
plummeted and did not rise again.
Jesus Christ
is and always was God the Son, the King of Glory, and as such, did not
personally need to come to this place of sin and death. He lived in
safety and holiness, untouched by any stain; pure in every way. The
purity of Adam was reflective of the sanctity of God the Son. Along
with holiness, Jesus has exhibited another blinding attribute that even
outshines the first, and that is an intense love that knows no limit.
And again, like the welder's torch, we must look away, as we, from the
darkness of this sin-stained world, catch a glimpse of His infinite
love.
This is the
day traditionally celebrated as Easter in many Christian settings, and
it is a disputed date for those who like to quibble over one thing or
another. There are times to take a stand, but this is a day I am simply
- grateful. The Resurrection of 2000 years ago is for me like the
"Rapture" (His return for His people) at some point in the future - it's
not the WHEN, but the IF that's important for you and me.
IF Christ is
the King of Glory who came to this world and died that you might live,
you have EVERYTHING and can rejoice in His Name! IF the Lord was here,
as seen and reported by literally hundreds of eyewitnesses, we can have
HOPE, possibly for the first time in our lives. IF He rose from the
dead and spoke to those witnesses, we are touched by a new reality:
there is LIFE after death; life for my parent, my child, my loved one -
life for ME! There WAS a Resurrection seen by many and He WILL Return,
and be seen by all.
There was a
time when statements such as the preceding were just words in a book for
me. And the Book (the Bible) does SHOUT that the King of Glory will
return for us. We're going to take a brief look in that Book, but first
we must be ready. Entering Scripture is like traveling in space or
entering the ocean's depths. You must be properly equipped for the
journey. For this, we need a change of heart:
Jesus, Your promise is that You will send Your Spirit, that we may
understand. We receive You now, and ask, send us, Lord, the Holy Spirit
of God. In Jesus Name. Amen. Now that we're ready, let's
look at the gospel (good news) in 1 Corinthians 15:
- Christ died
for our sins (1 Cor. 15:3 - not just any death – he died for you and
me)
- He died as
predicted by Scripture (1 Cor. 15:3 – all this was planned)
- He was
buried (1 Cor 15:4 – He was truly dead; no mistake)
- He was
raised to life on the 3rd day (1 Cor. 15:4 – He is ALIVE
and was SEEN)
- He appeared
to Peter (Cephas) and the other apostles (1 Cor. 15:5)
- The risen
Christ appeared to over 500 people at one time (1 Cor. 15:6)
- He appeared
to even more and then to Paul (1 Cor. 15:7).
When we first
met Pastor Dennis Broxton, he was in a hospital bed and we shared
communion with him. Isaiah Chapter 53 was his choice as our Communion
Scripture and we remember his tears at the time. He cried, but not
because it had been so long since he had taken communion, though that
was a factor. He cried because of what Jesus Christ suffered on our
behalf, for our need. He cried because of what Jesus had done for HIM.
As stated in Isaiah 53:6, “The Lord has caused
the iniquity of us all to fall on Him.”
Jesus died for
you. Not just any death – He became your substitute and died the death
meant for you and me. He bore your sins and paid your price, the one
that was too high; the one you could not pay. He died for you.
He is alive
and you are offered life in Him. Jesus Christ dramatically came to life
within the stone walls of a tomb in Jerusalem. When the tomb was
opened, He was already gone, for thick walls and death cannot hold Him.
And when we trust in Him, death cannot hold us either, for “By
His stripes we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5). He is alive.
The other day
we were witnesses to an automobile accident. A car suddenly turned left
and a pickup truck broad-sided the car. We simply saw what we saw, and
if necessary, we can go to court and testify about what was seen. Those
who saw the risen Christ were like that. Something HAPPENED right in
front of them! The eyewitness testimony is very simple, clear and
rational. They tell us “what we have heard,
what we have seen with our eyes, what we beheld and our hands handled,
concerning the Word of Life” (1 John 1:1-3). They were as
surprised as we are, but they BELIEVED and so should we.
Just like
“Ladybug” tends to “soar” to that music, we can “soar” in our Lord. As
Isaiah the Prophet observed, “Those who wait
upon the Lord will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like
eagles…” (Isaiah 40:31). He LIVES just as He said, and we LIVE,
too, when we trust in Him. He really loves you and me.
Ron Beckham, Pastor
Friday Study Ministries
www.fridaystudy.org
E-mail:
Ron@FridayStudy.org
Tel: (562) 688-5559
PO Box 92131
Long Beach, CA 90809-2131
"While
we were yet sinners, Christ died for us"
(Romans 5:8)
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