death and resurrection of Christ Archives - Page 2 of 2

Why is Easter Important?

It celebrates the singularly most important event in human history…

Christ came to save us from ourselves – to unite us with Jehovah, through Him, for all of eternity. Here’s how the process began:

In the beginning [before all time] was the Word (Christ), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God Himself. He was [continually existing] in the beginning [co-eternally] with God. All things were made and came into existence through Him; and without Him not even one thing was made that has come into being. In Him was life [and the power to bestow life], and the life was the light of men. Jn. 1:1 – 4. AMP

So, there was nothing existing, not even the universe itself, before God spoke it into existence through His Word (Jesus). We see then that Christ precedes time, existing as an eternal Spirit-being, who was exactly like His Father in every way:

He is the exact living image [the essential manifestation] of the unseen God [the visible representation of the invisible], the firstborn [the preeminent one, the sovereign, and the originator] of all creation…And He Himself existed before all things, and in Him all things hold together. [He is the controlling, cohesive force of the universe.] Col. 1:15 & 17. AMP

The ‘visible representation’ did not manifest until God sent His pre-incarnate Son, (by way of the Holy Spirit), to quicken Mary’s womb.

God originally ‘begat’ His firstborn Son as an aspect of Himself, with all of His characteristics and powers, yet Jesus is distinctly separate from Jehovah – while at the same time, remaining in perfect unity with Him.

Our heavenly Father sent His only Son to His children so that they could experience their Creator up close and personal, and so as to be delivered from their sins, that otherwise would have led to certain death. (Jas. 1:15)

All peoples throughout time became to be potential recipients of God’s merciful grace:

“…the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many [paying the price to set them free from the penalty of sin].” Mt. 20:28 AMP

Before He did that, God sent the Holy Spirit to speak to His prophets to spread the hope of redemption through the eventual coming of His Son – the Messiah:

“As for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last He will take His stand on the earth.” Job 19:25 NASB (1400 years before Jesus showed up.)

For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end. Is. 9:6, 7. NKJV (700 years before Christ’s coming.)

…with righteousness He shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; He shall strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, and with the breath of His lips He shall slay the wicked. Is. 11:4 NKJV

So, the Messiah (Christ) will bring the light of God to everyone who has suffered at the hands of darkness (Satan), and we all do. He will establish an eternal kingdom of peace and righteousness and decide who gets to inhabit it. But everybody has the potential to get in:

“…and My God shall be My strength), indeed He says, ‘Is it too small a thing that You should be My servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved ones of Israel; I will also give You as a light to the Gentiles, that You should be My salvation to the ends of the earth.” Is. 49:5, 6. NKJV

Even Christ’s journey to the cross was prophesied:

But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed…and the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter… Is. 53:5 – 7. NKJV

The Messiah would take on all of our self-made godless burdens and willingly yield up His flesh to pay the price, so that all would have the potential for redemption.

And then finally, 400 years after the final prophecy concerning Him, Christ came:

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. Jn. 1:14 NKJV

He Himself taught us about His holy nature and purpose:

“No one has gone up to heaven, but there is One who came down from heaven, the Son of Man [Himself – whose home is in heaven].” Jn. 3:13 AMP

“And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.” Jn. 3:14, 15. NKJV

Jesus is establishing His heavenly authority for speaking in spiritual matters. He’s also referring to a time when Moses had lifted up a bronze statue of a serpent on a cross for the healing of backslidden Hebrews. Likewise, Jesus is saying that He too would be raised on a cross, to trade His life for the healing of the sins of man. He says again:

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world though Him might be saved.” Jn. 3:16 NKJV

Again, He speaks to His purpose:

“The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captive and recovery of the sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD.” Lk. 4:18, 19. NKJV

“For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son also gives life to whom He wishes. For not even the Father judges anyone, but has given all judgment to the Son even as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.” Jn. 5:21 – 23. NASB

THIS IS HUGE! Jesus possess both the power to initiate and perpetuate God’s resurrection plan; and Christ solely decides the final outcome of those who are raised from the dead:

“…for an hour is coming when all those who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.” Jn. 5:28, 29. ESV

It is up to us to bring our faith to the table to be included on the side of the living:

“Most assuredly I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life.” Jn. 6:47 NKJV

“I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.” Jn. 6:35 NKJV

And out of our faith, comes our proper actions to guarantee our heavenly arrival:

“Most assuredly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word, He shall never see death.” Jn. 8:58 NKJV

With Jesus’ help of course:

“…without Me you can do nothing.” Jn. 15:5 NKJV

Jesus, like His Father, only speaks the truth. And He says that He’s coming back:

“For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.” Mt. 16:27 NKJV

Jesus stepped up to the cross, and our way to salvation was made. How big an event was His resurrection (Easter)? Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to His apostles after He ascended to His Father, to tell us:

Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be glory forever and ever. Gal. 1:6, 7. NASB

For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. Rm. 3:22 – 26. ESV

And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn of the dead, that in all things He may have preeminence. For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, whether on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross. Col. 1:18 – 20. NKJV

For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all… 1 Tim. 2:5, 6. NKJV

And all of the aforementioned, is what’s so important about Easter – God sacrificing His Son on the cross, so that we may all be made righteous to be able to stand side-by-side with Jehovah God and His Son for all of eternity in heaven. Such love…

Goodnight and God bless.

What Happened at the Cross

…Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve.

After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to be present, but some have fallen asleep. After that He was seen by James, then by all the apostles. Then last of all He was seen by me also, as by one born out of time. 1 Cor. 15:2 – 8. NKJV

Thus, Paul begins making the case for the first and most important event at the cross: that of Jesus’ salvation death and resurrection – of which there were many witnesses. Indeed, Paul makes that salvation connection next:

…Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.

For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming.

Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power. For He must reign until He has put all enemies under His feet.

The last enemy that will be destroyed is death. 1 Cor. 15:20 – 26. NKJV

Now when all things are made subject to Him, then the Son Himself will also be subject to Him (God) who put all things under Him, (Jesus) that God may be all in all. 1 Cor. 15:28 NKJV

When Christ was transformed at His resurrection into this new God-Man existence, He became His Father’s agent of man’s resurrection. Jesus is the first fruit of the ‘resurrection harvest’ of humanity, at the end of time. He guaranteed resurrection for God’s children by wiping out the spiritual death, (which ultimately results in physical death as well) brought on us by Adam’s original sin.

That cleansing is only available to those who accept Christ’s invitation for salvation – which frees God’s children from the ravages of time and death. Given that this is so, Paul now attempts to get the Corinthians to clean up their act and prepare themselves for Christ’s return:

Do not be so deceived and misled! Evil companionships (communion, associations) corrupt and deprave good manners and morals and character.

Awake [from your drunken stupor and return] to sober sense and your right minds, and sin no more. 1 Cor. 15:33, 34. AMP

Paul then tells them how God will make it possible for them to rise from their graves:

The body is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption. It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power.

It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body and a spiritual body. And so it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being.” The last Adam became a life-giving spirit.

However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural, and afterward the spiritual. The first man was of the earth, made of dust, the second Man is the Lord from heaven. As was the man of dust, so also are those who are made of dust; and as is the heavenly Man, so also are those who are heavenly. And as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man.

…flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does corruption inherit incorruption.

Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed – in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality…then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory. O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?”

The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor in not in vain in the Lord. 1 Cor. 15:42 – 58. NKJV

Wow! Christ’s work at the cross enables us to be resurrected as both righteous, and transcendent of the Law. We get a new body, made in His image, which never wears out! Our physical sufferings are a forgotten memory, and we stand ready to enter into an eternity of the unimaginable; and it’s all about the Love…

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