APRIL EDITION... Wonderful Words of Life...

 

Issue 7  WONDERFUL WORDS OF LIFE... APRIL EDITION

by Dr. Keith J. Wise

I. Introduction for April... 

    April is a month of new beginnings.  The snows of winter really begin to disappear in most of the United States, and the calendar for  2017  look to the celebration of Easter or Resurrection Sunday.  But as I have said before, Easter brings with it a preparation of profound importance.  The farmer begins to think about his soil, the taxes must be sent in if not earlier, and calendars are checked and scheduled for camps and vacation and special events.  In this issue we will proclaim the never ending and wonderful message of Easter and the resurrection.  We must prepare through study and meditation, which some call Lent, to open our hearts and allow the "washing of the word.." as Jesus noted in John 15. Shortly before His Ascension, Christ reminded the disciples concerning some of the things he had taught them. They as with us must be reminded.  He brought to their attention the truth that "...all things must needs be fulfilled, which are written in the law of Moses, and the Prophets, and the Psalms, concerning me." (Luke 24:44)

II. Why it Still Matters... The Resurrection

     When you receive this study on this blog, you will have a few weeks to prepare yourself for the celebration of the Resurrection Sunday.  The history of the Church proclaiming the message of resurrection is powerful and meaningful and has changed world history and civilization.  The sign of the resurrection was meant to set Jesus apart from anyone else who ever lived, and it would designated Him the Son of God. (Romans 1:4)  He was so determined to leave this impact, knowing how fickled and quick men forget events, that there are "post resurrection" appearances to sear this truth into the record.  There were eyewitness accounts and people whom Jesus appeared to alive over a forty day period after His public crucifixion.  Writing about A.D. 56, the apostle Paul mentions the fact that more than 500 people had witnessed the resurrected Christ at one time and most were still living when he wrote. (I Cor. 15:6)

There have been any number of strong defenses from many individuals both scholars to the illiterate. They have come to the simple but profound truth that Jesus did in fact rise from the dead.  Of the many that could be cited, would be a man by the name of Frank Morrison.  Frank was an agnostic journalist, who attempted to write a book refuting the resurrection of Christ. This has happened before and since to those who have been curios and honest inquirers.  Morrison shared and described what happened to him. "It is not that the facts altered, for they are recorded imperishably in the monuments and in the pages of human history.  But the interpretation to be put on the facts underwent a change." (Who Moved the Stone? Zondervan, 1971)
     Morrison boiled down his conclusions to groups of people that surround the resurrection story.  There were the Romans, the Jews or Jewish leaders, and the disciples.  The Romans would have had no reason to steal the body, since they wanted to keep the peace in Palestine.  They were not at all interested in some sort of grassroots uprising or revolution.  This would came later in the Great Jewish War(A.D.66-70) some forty years later, and prophesied by Jesus in Matthew 24.  They had a policy of keeping the provinces as quiet as possible, and the stealing of this Jewish rabbi's body would not have accomplished this goal.  The Jews or Jewish leaders would not have taken the body, because the last issue they desired was a clear proclamation of resurrection. Remember, they are the ones who asked for a guard to be placed. (Matthew 27)  Finally, the disciples were at this point a frightened and dishearten bunch of followers. If they had stolen the body and committed such a ruse, their later posture of honest proclamation which cost them their lives, would have been a senseless lie.  Morrison, along with countless others through the ages came to the most evident and apparent conclusion, that Jesus had risen from the dead.  Not only had He done so, but witnesses had see Him. This event was not a matter of the brief conclusion of His earthly ministry. Remarkably, He fulfilled the prophecies of the Old Testament of Messiah which furthermore provided the evidence for the apostolic message on the day of Pentecost. Jerusalem would be where Peter preached the first sermon with an empty tomb within walking distance. (Acts 2) Later, Peter will at the end of his life, in reference to the Transfiguration in II Peter 1:16, captures the whole sentiment of the resurrection, by conclusively saying "...For we did not follow cleverly devised tales when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty."
     Beloved, we have a reason for our faith, and a purpose set before our eyes in these day of irrational skepticism.  The next time you stand next to the casket of your loved one at the time of their passing, you will thank God and the Lord Jesus Christ for the resurrection.  History tells us the early Christians would gather on the Lord's Day and the Evangelist or Pastor would declare, "HE IS RISEN!!!"  The congregation would then resound as one voice together, "HE IS RISEN INDEED!!!"

III. DID YOU KNOW?  ... Resulting Facts of the Resurrection..

     If we examine the results of the resurrection after the gospels we see a remarkable result of cause and effect.  Unknown to many Christians is that fact that I Corinthians 15 is the great treatise of the resurrection for the Church.  Its implication is for us who by our faith and obedience have acquired our salvation from the Lord.  Here are some implications of such a great savior, salvation and hope in the resurrection from I Corinthians 15.

1. "If there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen..." (vs. 13) No Resurrection, No Savior.

2. "And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is in vain..." (vs. 14) No Resurrection, Nothing to Preach.

3. "...and your faith is also vain," (vs.14) No Resurrection, our Faith is Vain.

4. "Yes, and we are found to be false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: who he did not raise up if it be said the dead do not rise" (vs. 15) If Christ did not Rise, then the Apostles and Prophets were Liars. 

5. "For if the dead did not rise, then Christ did not rise..." (vs. 16) The origin of he Resurrection is Christ...His is the source and proves Christianity and the Scriptures with it.

6. "And if Christ is not raised, your faith is in vain." (vs. 17) No Resurrection, No one to Trust.

7. "You are still in your sins." (vs. 17) No Resurrection, No Forgiveness of Sin.

8. "Then they which have died ("fallen asleep") in Christ are perished." (vs. 18)  If Christ did not Rise, Neither will Anyone Else. 

9. "If in this life we only have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most miserable." (vs. 19) If there is no Resurrection, then Christians are Worse Off than Sinners.


III. NUGGETS OF NOURISHMENT... An Easter Sermon... The Day When Death Died.

Text: I Corinthians 15: 20-26

Introduction: Resurrection Sunday is a day of celebration.  On this day Christianity celebrates the day Christ rose from the tomb and vanquished death in many ways not totally understandable to us in this lifetime.  In reality for us, death is a fact.  We have all buried someone in the local cemetery, but our faith commands our heart and mind.  Death is a foe; but death is a defeated foe.  In the most triumphant terms the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ defeated death.  The power of death was defeated in Christ's resurrection in the following ways.

I. The Resurrection of Jesus Christ Defeats Death's Keeping Power...
    A. Jesus willingly laid down His life. (John 10:18)
    B. Jesus is the first fruits. (I Cor.15:20)
    C. Jesus is the last Adam. (I Cor.15:22)
    D. Eyewitness accounts affirm the resurrection. (I Cor.15:8; I Cor.15:14-15)

II. The Righteous Second Coming of Jesus Christ Defies Death's Killing Power...(I Cor.15:51-52)
    A. I Thessalonians 4:16-17; Mark 13:32-37

III. The Reign of Jesus Christ Destroys Death's Kingly Power...
    A. Death had a dominion (Rom.5:14) Jesus destroyed that domain!!
    B. Consider: II Timothy 1:10; I Cor. 15:54-57; I Cor. 15:25-26

Conclusion:  Beloved, death has been swallowed up in victory.  Because He Lives... we to shall live.  Claim the resurrection today and every Lord's day for your life.