THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST- A MEMORIAL

THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST

A MEMORIAL

IN THE BEGINNING EVERYTHING WAS STILL AND DARK AND THE DARKNESS WAS WITHOUT FORM AND VOID. THEN THE HOLY SPIRIT HOVERED OVER THE DARKNESS AND GOD COMMANDED LIGHT INTO EXISTENCE. AND LIGHT WAS. (Genesis 1)

IN THE BEGINNING WAS THE WORD, AND WORD WAS WITH GOD, AND THE WORD WAS GOD. ALL THINGS WERE MADE THROUGH HIM AND WITHOUT HIM NOTHING WAS MADE THAT WAS MADE. IN HIM WAS LIFE AND THE LIFE WAS THE LIGHT OF MEN. AND THE LIGHT SHINES IN THE DARKNESS, AND THE DARKNESS DID NOT COMPREHEND IT. JESUS IS THE TRUE LIGHT WHICH GIVES LIGHT TO EVERY MAN COMING INTO THE WORLD. HE WAS IN THE WORLD AND WORLD WAS MADE THROUGH HIM AND THE WORLD DID NOT KNOW HIM. BUT AS MANY AS RECEIVED HIM, TO THEM HE GAVE THE RIGHT TO BECOME CHILDREN OF GOD, TO THOSE WHO BELIEVE IN HIS NAME: JESUS, EMMANUEL, GOD WITH US.... THE WORD BECAME FLESH AND DWELT AMONG US, AND WE BEHELD HIS GLORY..GRACE AND TRUTH CAME THROUGH JESUS CHRIST (John 1). JESUS CAME AS A LIGHT INTO THE WORLD THAT WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM SHOULD NOT ABIDE IN DARKNESS.

IT IS FINISHED
WHEN JESUS WENT TO THE CROSS FOR OUR SINS HE WAS MADE SIN FOR US SO THAT WE MIGHT BECOME THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD. WHEN JESUS UTTERERED HIS LAST WORDS, "IT IS FINISHED," HE YIELDED HIS SPIRIT TO GOD. THOSE WORDS," IT IS FINISHED" WAS VERY SIGNIFICANT TO THE SALVATION AND REDEMPTION OF THE HUMAN RACE. IT MEANT WE AS BELIEVERS WILL NO LONGER HAVE TO LIVE UNDER THE CURSE BUT UNDER GOD'S BLESSINGS (DEUTERONOMY 28). IT MEANT WE NOW HAVE AUTHORITY OVER THE DEVIL AND HIS BUNCH. IT MEANT WE WERE CONQUERORS AND VICTORS AND OVERCOMERS. IT MEANT WE HAVE ETERNAL LIFE AND WE ARE CALLED SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF THE MOST HIGH GOD. THAT IS WHO I AM AND WHOSE I AM- A CHILD OF THE KING OF ALL KINGS AND LORD OF ALL LORDS. JESUS IS THE MOST PRECIOUS GIFT FOR MANKIND.

THE RESURRECTION IS ABOUT THE INCARNATION OF JESUS CHRIST, RISING FROM THE DEAD AND BRINGING A RESURGENCE OF HOPE, LIGHT, LOVE, PEACE AND JOY TO ALL THOSE WHO BELIEVE HE IS THE SON OF GOD. THE RESURRECTION AS THE WORLD KNOWS IT, IS ABOUT GOING TO CHURCH ON EASTER SUNDAY, AND ABOUT EASTER EGGS AND CANDY, AND THE EASTER BUNNY LOGO. I WONDER IF THE IMPACT OF WHAT JESUS DID ON THE CROSS OVER TWO THOUSAND YEARS AGO HAVE THE DESIRED RESPONSE OF THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE FOR ALL MANKIND.
 I WONDER IF THE THOUGHT OF THIS IMMOLATION AND THE IMPACT HAS EVER REALLY CROSS OUR MINDS. GOD GAVE UP HIS ONLY BELOVED SON AND HIS SON RELINQUISHED HIS SONSHIP IN HEAVEN TO COME TO EARTH TO BE THE SAVIOR OF THE WORLD. HAVE YOU EVER THOUGHT ABOUT WHAT GOD DID FOR US? HE WAS A FATHER AND IT PAINED HIM TO SACRIFICE HIS SON WITH THE HOPE THAT MANKIND WILL RECIPROCATE THAT KIND OF LOVE AND DEDICATION AND LOYALITY TO HIM.

THE RESURRECTION IS ABOUT LOVE. IT IS ABOUT THE LOVE OF OUR CREATOR FOR HIS CHILDREN. IT IS ABOUT BRINGING LIGHT INTO OUR WORLD IN THE FACE OF PERVADING DARKNESS. IT IS ABOUT SACRIFICE FOR OTHERS AND LAYING DOWN ONE'S LIFE FOR MANKIND'S SURVIVAL. IT IS ABOUT RESTORATION AND MAKING ALL THINGS NEW. IT IS ABOUT LIFE-ETERNAL LIFE WITH THE FATHER; IT IS ABOUT THE PROMISE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT AS OUR COMFORTER AND GUIDE THROUGH OUR LIFE HERE ON EARTH; IT IS ABOUT GOD'S GRACE TOWARD US AND ALL THAT GRACE HAS MADE AVAILABLE TO US; IT IS ABOUT RECOMPENSE; IT IS ABOUT HAVING AN INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD AND HIS SON; IT IS ABOUT FELLOWSHIP AND WORSHIP TO THE FATHER AND THE SON. IT IS ABOUT GOD'S MERCY TOWARD MANKIND; IT IS ABOUT HIS SON-JESUS, SITTING AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GLORY INTERCEDING ON OUR BEHALF. IT IS ABOUT OUR LIBERTY- AND WHO THE SON SETS FREE IS FREE INDEED. IT IS ABOUT UNITY AMONG ALL MEN AND PREACHING THE MINISTRY OF JESUS CHRIST TO ALL THE WORLD. THIS IS GOD'S DESIRE THAT ALL MEN BE SAVED AND THIS IS A GIFT FREELY OFFERED WITH NO PRESSURE AND NO COERCE. IT IS ABOUT CHOICES. YOU GET TO CHOOSE EITHER DEATH OR LIFE, GOOD OR EVIL.

FINALLY, OUR DEEPEST DESIRES AS BELIEVERS ARE TO KNOW JESUS AND THE POWER OF HIS RESURRECTION AND THE FELLOWSHIP OF HIS SUFFERINGS AND BECOMING LIKE HIM IN HIS DEATH (PHIL 3:10). JESUS REMINDS US ALL THAT HE IS THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD AND THOSE WHO FOLLOW HIM SHALL NOT WALK IN DARKNESS BUT HAVE THE LIGHT OF LIFE. HE WARNS US ALSO THAT: everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God" (JOHN 3).


ARE YOU LIGHT KEEPERS OR ARE YOU SHADOW KEEPERS? YOUR LIFE MAY DEPENDS ON WHERE YOUR AFFILIATION LIES . I HOPE THIS RESURRECTION SUNDAY YOU PONDER THESE THINGS IN YOUR HEART AND ASK YOURSELF ON WHOSE SIDE ARE YOU ON, IS IT THE SIDE OF LIFE OR THE SIDE OF DEATH? YOU CHOOSE.