Bible Ballistics: Vol. 13 No.07   Because Jesus IS Alive!!!

 

As we approach the season of celebrating the resurrection Of Jesus Christ our Lord, I thought we’d just take a few minutes today to simply rehearse the wonder of HIS victory.

“And the angel answered and said

unto the women,

Fear not ye:

for I know that ye seek Jesus,

which was crucified.

6 He is not here:

for he is risen,

as he said.

Come, see the place

where the Lord lay.

7 And go quickly,

and tell his disciples

that he is risen

from the dead;

and, behold,

he goeth before you

into Galilee;

there shall ye see him:

lo, I have told you.”  Matthew 28:5-7

HE is risen—just “as he said”!  And Jesus did “say” he would rise from the dead and overcome sin, death and hell!

“And while they abode in Galilee,

Jesus said unto them,

The Son of man shall be betrayed

into the hands of men:

23 And they shall kill him,

and the third day

he shall be raised again.

And they were exceeding sorry.”  Matthew 17:22-23

And Mark also gave us a great insight into the way that Jesus tried to prepare His disciples for the coming night of despair that they would endure—but they just didn’t understand the morning of GLORY that would turn their despair into JOY!  Exultant, exuberant, JOY “unspeakable”!  They had no way of comprehending all that this Master, Rabbi and Messiah had truly come to accomplish—that what started (and seemed to end) on the cross—would bring in the fulfillment of all that God had promised for the redemption of man.

“Saying, Behold,

we go up to Jerusalem;

and the Son of man shall be delivered

unto the chief priests,

and unto the scribes;

and they shall condemn him

to death,

and shall deliver him

to the Gentiles:

34 And they shall mock him,

and shall scourge him,

and shall spit upon him,

and shall kill him:

and the third day he shall rise again.”   Mark 10:33-34

He told them that HE would “rise again”!  But how would you comprehend what you had never seen before; for even though Jesus would raise Lazarus from the dead—it wasn’t to eternal life, for he would die again—Jesus was raised as victor over death and He not only overcame death, but He gives “eternal life” to those who come to Him in repentance and faith.

The book of Acts shows us the wonder of God’s plan for our salvation and deliverance from sin!  It was God’s plan from before the “beginning”—our beginning, not God’s!  As Peter proclaimed on the day of Pentecost.

“And it shall come to pass,

that whosoever shall call on the name

of the Lord

shall be saved.

22 Ye men of Israel, hear these words;

Jesus of Nazareth,

a man approved of God

among you

by miracles

and wonders

and signs,

which God did by him

in the midst of you,

as ye yourselves

also know:

23 Him, being delivered

by the determinate counsel

and foreknowledge

of God,

ye have taken,

and by wicked hands

have crucified and slain:

24 Whom God hath raised up,

having loosed the pains of death:

because it was not possible

that he should be holden of it.”   Acts 2:21-24

Jesus is the “power of God unto salvation”—God’s plan to deliver us!

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ:

for it is the power of God

unto salvation

to every one that believeth;

to the Jew first,

and also to the Greek.

17 For therein

is the righteousness of God

revealed from faith to faith:

as it is written,

The just shall live by faith.”   Romans 1:16-17

Praise God and thank Him for His amazing grace that brings us life—abundant life, and keeps us unto salvation.

“Blessed be the God and Father

of our Lord Jesus Christ,

which according to his abundant mercy

hath begotten us again

unto a lively hope

by the resurrection of Jesus Christ

from the dead,

4 To an inheritance

incorruptible,

and undefiled,

and that fadeth not away,

reserved in heaven

for you,

5 Who are kept

by the power of God

through faith

unto salvation

ready to be revealed

in the last time.”   1 Peter 1:3-5

While we are saved at the point of our faith in Jesus and receiving His Holy Spirit, or hope is in our eternal, perfect, sinless future hope in Jesus.  And while we struggle in this world, we have a hope sure and certain in glory with our Lord!  Yet, we have an intercessor sure and certain in our Lord Jesus, and His Holy Spirit who takes our feeble thoughts and words and works God’s work in us and before the Father!  It’s what Paul describes in Romans 8.

“For we know that the whole creation

groaneth

and travaileth

in pain together

until now.

23 And not only they,

but ourselves also,

which have the firstfruits

of the Spirit,

even we ourselves groan

within ourselves,

waiting for the adoption,

to wit,

the redemption of our body.

24 For we are saved by hope:

but hope that is seen

is not hope:

for what a man seeth,

why doth he yet hope for?

25 But if we hope for that we see not,

then do we with patience

wait for it.

26 Likewise the Spirit also

helpeth our infirmities:

for we know not

what we should pray for

as we ought:

but the Spirit itself maketh intercession

for us

with groanings

which cannot be uttered.”   Romans 8:22-26

Our risen Lord has accomplished the great work of redemption and sits at the right hand of The Father ever interceding for us!  Praying for you and me on the basis of the redemption that He bought for us at Calvary–because HE didn’t stay dead, but HE arose!!!

“Wherefore he is able also

to save them to the uttermost

that come unto God

by him,

seeing he ever liveth

to make intercession for them.

26 For such an high priest became us,

who is holy,

harmless,

undefiled,

separate from sinners,

and made higher than the heavens;

27 Who needeth not daily,

as those high priests,

to offer up sacrifice,

first for his own sins,

and then for the people’s:

for this he did once,

when he offered up himself.”  Hebrews 7:25-27

He gave Himself for us!  And for that I am eternally grateful!  How about you?  Are you celebrating bunnies or the Risen Lord!

“Grace be to you

and peace

from God the Father,

and from our Lord Jesus Christ,

4 Who gave himself for our sins,

that he might deliver us

from this present evil world,

according to the will of God

and our Father:

5 To whom be glory

for ever and ever. Amen.”    Galatians 1:3-5

And because He gave Himself for me, what less can I offer Him?  How about you?  May we truly take this season to focus on the real wonder of our redemption.

“Looking for that blessed hope,

and the glorious appearing of the great God

and our Saviour Jesus Christ;

14 Who gave himself for us,

that he might redeem us

from all iniquity,

and purify unto himself

a peculiar people,

zealous of good works.”    Titus 2:13-14

And finally, may we all pursue with Paul, the crucified life!

“I am crucified with Christ:

nevertheless I live;

yet not I,

but Christ liveth in me:

and the life which I now live

in the flesh

I live by the faith of the Son of God,

who loved me,

and gave himself for me.”    Galatians 2:20

Amen and Amen!