THE LORD JESUS HAS THE POWER OVER LIFE AND DEATH

Proclamation:

“I am The Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever!  And I hold the keys of death and Hades.”  Revelation 1:18 (NIV)

Explanation:

These are the words of Jesus, The Christ, which were revealed to and recorded by the apostle John under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  John was told to write down the things that he had seen during his out of body experience. (Revelation 1:10-11 and 1:19)  John had a vision of Christ. (Revelation 1:12-16)  Upon seeing Christ, John fell down at His feet and He spoke these words to him. (Revelation 1:17-19) 

Application:

With respect to the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, The Christ, we know the events which happened on Good Friday and the events which occurred on Resurrection Sunday.  But what is not clear is what happened on Saturday while the body of Jesus lay in the grave.  I remember being taught that after He gave up His life on the cross, He descended into hell and did something before He returned and rose early Sunday morning.  This verse says that Jesus holds the keys to death and hell in His hands.  This speaks to the sovereignty, the power, and the authority of Christ over death and hell.  However, Jesus raised three individuals from death before He was crucified.  He raised Lazarus from the grave, (John 11:41-44) the synagogue leader’s daughter (Matthew 9:23-24) and the widow’s son. (Luke 7:11-15)  So clearly Jesus had the power over death while He was alive on earth.  I know that He has all power in heaven and earth. (Matthew 28:18)  I do not know what happen on Saturday but, as the song says, “We will understand it better, bye and bye.”  One day we will all be “… absent from the body …” and “… present with The Lord.” (2 Corinthians 5:8)  Until that day comes, I will praise, and worship, and serve The Lord.

ONE MAN'S SIN CONDEMNED US AND ONE MAN'S DEATH AND RESURRECTION JUSTIFIED US

Proclamation:

“Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people.”  Romans 5:18 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by the Apostle Paul in his letter to the believers in Rome.  After stating that we are justified by faith (Romans 5:1) and that we glory in our sufferings because suffering produces perseverance, and perseverance produces character, which produces hope, (Romans 5:3-5) Paul said that sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin. (Romans 5:12)  Then he said that God’s abundant provision of grace and the gift of righteousness reign in life through one man, Jesus Christ. (Romans 5:17)  Then he summed it up by saying that one man’s sin condemned all people and one man’s righteous act justified all people. (Romans 5:18)

Application:

Through the disobedience of one man all of us were made sinners, and through the obedience of one man all of us were given the opportunity to be made righteous. (Romans 5:19)  Sin leads to death, but through the grace of God, righteousness leads to eternal life through belief in Jesus, The Christ. (Romans 5:21)  Jesus came so that all might be saved, but only those who believe in Him will be saved.  Adam’s sin led to all of us being born into sin. (Psalm 51:5)  However, belief in Jesus, The Christ, will lead to salvation and eternal life. (John 3:16 and Romans 10:9)

HAPPY RESURRECTION SUNDAY - HE IS RISEN

Proclamation:

“He is not here; for He is risen, as He said.  Come see the place where The Lord lay.”  Matthew 28:6 (KJV)

Explanation:

These words were recorded under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by the apostle Matthew.  When Mary Magdalene and the other Mary, the mother of James, arrived at the tomb where the body of Jesus had been placed, they encountered an angel who was sitting on the rock which had sealed the door of the tomb. (Matthew 28:2)  The angel told them that he knew that they were looking for Jesus who had been crucified, but He was not there. (Matthew 28:5-6)  The angel said that He is risen. (Matthew 28:6)

Application:

All four gospels give an account of the post crucifixion resurrection of Jesus, The Christ. (Matthew 28:6, Mark 16:6, Luke 24:6, and John 20:11-12)  Belief in the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ is essential for salvation of our lost soul. (Romans 10:9)  There are recorded witnesses to His death on the cross and the placing of His body in the tomb.  There are also many witnesses to His resurrection.  He appeared first to Mary Magdalene (Mark 16:9 and John 20:14-18), then to two of His disciples as they walked towards the village called Emmaus. (Mark 16:12 and Luke 24:13-32)  He appeared to His disciples in the upper room as they ate without Thomas, (Mark 16:14, Luke 24:35-51, and John 20:19-22) again in the upper room with Thomas present, (John 20:26-29) and at the sea of Tiberias. (John 21:1-14)  For forty days after His resurrection (Acts 1:3) Jesus appeared to His disciples, spoke to them, and at times He ate with them.  His disciples also witnessed His ascension from a mountain in Galilee. (Matthew 28:16-17 and Acts 1:9)  This happened and there are multiple witnesses to verify it.  The question is do you believe it?

HE IS RISEN

Proclamation:

“On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb.  They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of The Lord Jesus.  While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them.  In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, "Why do you look for the living among the dead?  He is not here; He has risen!  Remember how He told you, while He was still with you in Galilee: 'The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.'"  Then they remembered His words." Luke 24:1-8 (NIV)

Explanation:

After His death by crucifixion, the body of Jesus was taken down from the cross, wrapped in a clean linen cloth and placed in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathema.  The entrance to the sepulcher was closed with a large stone and a Roman guard was posted there as ordered by Pilate, to prevent the disciples from stealing the body of Christ. (Matthew 27:57-66)  When the women came with spices to anoint the body of Jesus, He was not there, for He had risen.  His earthly body had been resurrected.

Application:

"Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; He is risen!" (Luke 24:5-6)  The only thing for us to do today is to accept or reject the account of the resurrection as presented in The Bible, The Holy Word of God.  The crucifixion, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, The Christ, is recorded in all four of the gospels. (Matthew 27:26 to 28:8; Mark 15:15 to 15:8; Luke 23:23 to 24:9 and John 19:16 to 20:10)  It was predicted more than four hundred years earlier by the prophet Isaiah. (Isaiah 53:5-6)  After His resurrection He appeared for man to see Him on more than forty different times before He ascended to heaven. (Matthew 28:9-10 and 28:11-20; Mark 16:9-20; Luke 24:13-50; and John 20:11-29 and 21:1-23)  His ascension to heaven was witnessed by the disciples. (Acts 1:9)  The Word of God says it and that settles it.  He is risen.

JESUS PAID IT ALL

Proclamation:

"But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His wounds we are healed.  We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and The LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all."  Isaiah 53:5-6 (NIV)

Explanation:

By the aid of The Holy Spirit of God the Prophet Isaiah wrote to the people of God, first, to warn them about their sinful behavior, and then secondly to tell them about the coming Messiah, Jesus, The Christ.  Here Isaiah stated that Jesus took upon Himself all of our iniquities, and by His physical injuries we were healed.  His punishment paid for our peace and made our salvation possible.

Application:

Jesus, who never sinned, paid the price for all of our sins. (Romans 6:23)  He was the sacrificial lamb who shed His blood for the remission of our sins. (Hebrews 9:22)  Jesus, The Son of God, endured the wrath of God, The Father, for our sins as our substitute. (John 1:29 and Revelation 14:10)  We had gone our own sinful way instead of following His way.  In fact, He is the way. (John 14:6)  Because He was hurt, we can be healed.  Because He was pierced, we can be protected.  Because He was crushed, we can be cured.  Because He was flogged, we can be forgiven.  Because He was punished, we can have peace.  Because He was wounded, we can be washed in His blood.  Because He took our sins, we can be saved.  Jesus paid it all and He did it for us.

Christ Has Compassion For Us

"Who is He that condemns?  Christ Jesus, who died, more than that, who was raised to life, is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us."  Romans 8:34 (NIV)

The Apostle Paul, the author of thirteen of the twenty-seven Books of The New Testament, in his letter to the believers in Rome said that it is Jesus Christ, who was crucified and died and rose from the dead, who judges us and who makes intercession for us. 

Christ has compassion for us, He understands what it is that we go through.  He was not received by His own people (John 1:11); He endured rejection, (Isaiah 53:3); He was tempted (Matthew 4:1 and Mark 1:13); He hungered (Luke 4:2); He wept (John 11:35);  He had compassion for suffering people. (Matthew 9:36, 14:14, 15:32, and 20:34)    He was lied on (Matthew 26:60); During His three and one half year earthly ministry, Jesus suffered the same plight as we suffer. (Hebrews 2:18)  In fact, He had it worse than most of us, He was also homeless. (Matthew 8:20 and Luke 9:8)  He was spat upon (Matthew 27:30);  He was scourged with barbed whips (Mark 15:15)  He knows what it is like to be human, to be tempted, and to be done wrong.  He who was without sin, became sin for our sake. (Galatians 1:4 and 1 John 2:2)  He now is making intercession for us.  He is pleading our case because He knows us, He loves us, He died for us, and He has compassion for us.