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The title of this Bible lesson contains three of the most beautiful
words in the world. Never before or since has anyone said they would
rise from the dead and then do so. In Mark 16:5-6 we find the truth of
the resurrection of Jesus Christ. 5 And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a
long white garment; and they were affrighted. 6 And he saith unto them,
Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is
risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him.
He
is risen are the words of hope which all Christians carry with them. If
not for the resurrection all else would be in vain. Paul said, 12
Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among
you that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 But if there be no
resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: 14 And if Christ be
not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.
15 Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have
testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so
be that the dead rise not. 16 For if the dead rise not, then is not
Christ raised: 17 And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye
are yet in your sins. (1 Corinthians 15:12-17.) Those who do not
believe Christ rose from the dead are still in their sins according to
Paul.
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While there is hope in the resurrection, the sacrifice of Jesus on the
cross is what makes the resurrection possible. If not for the putting
away of sin there wouldn’t have been a resurrection. Hebrews 9:26
says For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the
world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away
sin by the sacrifice of himself. Jesus offered his body to put
away sin and for the salvation and the sanctification of the people.10
By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of
Jesus Christ once for all. (Hebrews 10:10) Upon that sacrifice
rests the resurrection. Jesus said in John 8:24,
I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye
believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.
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The death of Christ on the cross was so earth shaking that the earth
shattered. Matthew 27: 51-52 shows the power of God through the Holy
Spirit: 51 And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain
from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;
52 And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept
arose, 53 And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went
into the holy city, and appeared unto many. (The word rent means
torn or broken apart. Think on the meaning of the scriptures here.) Then
in verse 54: Now when the centurion, and they that were with him,
watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done,
they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God. The
centurion guarding the grave was likely the first one to recognize God’s
power and confess faith in Jesus Christ.
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Those who won’t believe in the Son of God
won’t experience the resurrection into life eternal as will the
believers. The hope of the believers lies in two places, the death on
the cross and the resurrection. Hebrews 11:1 affirms the faith believers
hold. Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence
of things not seen. Christ and his sacrifice provide the
foundation for the faith we hold, and they are the substance on which
our belief and hope rest. He is through the resurrection, the evidence
of our faith, though we haven’t been rewarded yet with the actual fact
of eternal life through the coming resurrection for the dead.
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Take heart, for He Is Risen and one day our
faith will be rewarded with the evidence we know is forthcoming.
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© 03-25-2007 DEC
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Next Lesson Evil
In The Land |
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