Because Jesus Lives!
It is the Apostle Paul who was given these words to write, words written within the Bible to remind us of God’s Amazing Grace and God’s Gift of Salvation!
On this day, may we read (together) &
May we recall JUST WHAT JESUS DID—FOR EACH OF US!
“But IF there is no resurrection of the dead,
(1 Corinthians 15: 13-22 NASB)
THEN not even Christ has been raised;
and IF Christ has not been raised,
THEN our preaching is in vain,
your faith also is in vain.
Moreover, we are even found to be false witnesses of God,
BECAUSE we testified against God that He raised Christ, whom He did not raise,
IF in fact the dead are not raised.
For IF the dead are not raised,
THEN not even Christ has been raised;
and IF Christ has not been raised,
[THEN] Your faith is worthless;
[AND THEN] You are still in your sins.
THEN ALSO those who have fallen asleep
[those who have already died & been buried]
in Christ have perished.
[IF CHRIST JESUS DIED]
&
[IF JESUS WAS BURIED]
&
[IF JESUS DID NOT RAISE FROM THE GRAVE]
IF we have hoped in Christ only in THIS LIFE,
[THEN] we are of all people most to be pitied.
[BUT GOD!!!]
[YES, THANK YOU, FATHER!!!]
But the fact is,
Christ has been raised from the dead,
!!!!!!!!!!!!
the first fruits of those who are asleep
[who have already died]
For since by a man [THROUGH ADAM’S SIN IN THE GARDEN]
death came,
by a man
[THROUGH JESUS’ WORK UPON CALVARY’S CROSS!]
[AND THROUGH THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS!]
also came the resurrection of the dead.
[IT IS THROUGH THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS
THAT WE HAVE THE ASSURANCE OF ETERNAL LIFE!]
For as in Adam [the first man] all die,
so also in Christ all will be made alive.”
IT IS ALL BECAUSE OF JESUS!!!
The apostle Paul knew what it meant to not believe in Jesus, to be lost.
- Paul knew what it meant to be walking, to be living but to not be alive.
- Paul knew he must live each day on earth, as if this life were all there was to life.
God gave Paul a New Life in HIM!
- God changed Paul from walking toward death to WALKING TOWARD ETERNAL LIFE!
- God gave the former man “Saul” a brand-new name, one that would constantly remind him of the NEW LIFE GOD GAVE HIM—WHEN PAUL ACCEPTED JESUS INTO HIS HEART!
There is a hymn we sing, one written by Bill Gaither, one that comes to my mind.
Sing with me & Let us Praise God!
“Because He lives
I can face tomorrow
Because He lives
All fear is gone
Because I know
He holds the future
And life is worth the living
Just because He lives.”
[YES, He lives!]
The horror of Calvary’s cross was unimaginable.
Like the disciples of Jesus, we would have run, and we would have hidden.
BUT GOD DID NOT LEAVE HIS ONLY SON IN THAT GRAVE!
THREE DAYS LATER, JESUS AROSE!
THREE DAYS LATER, THE TOMB WAS EMPTY!
Like the women who went to that tomb, we can proclaim to the world—
HE’S ALIVE!
HE’S AROSE FROM THE GRAVE!
I HAVE SEEN THE LORD!
Who holds the pen? Who writes your life story? Who walks beside you through this life? Who holds your hand as you step?
We tell the world—This life is not all there is.
JESUS IS ALIVE!
- It is what we are to say during the “in between” before we go home.
- It is what we are to say as we live here on earth.
We wait; We walk topsoil.
Yet as we wait for Jesus to call our name,
Yet as we wait for Jesus to call us to come home to heaven,
Yet as we live, what must we be doing—In Between?
- We Pray.
- We Study God’s Word.
- We Testify.
- We Tell the World Just What Jesus Did For Us!
- We Love Others As Jesus Loved Us.
CAN WE SEE JESUS SITTING THERE ON THE THRONE IN HEAVEN?
CAN WE SEE JESUS THERE AT GOD’S RIGHT?
HOPE HAS A NAME!
JESUS!
REDEEMER.
SAVIOR.
THE SON OF GOD!
THE MESSIAH!
JESUS!
“And as soon as He was approaching, near the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the miracles which they had seen,
(Luke 19: 37-40 NASB)
shouting:
“BLESSED IS THE KING, THE ONE WHO
COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD;
Peace in heaven and glory
in the highest!”
And yet some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, rebuke Your disciples!”
Jesus replied,
“I tell you, if these stop speaking, the stones will cry out!”
HE’S ALIVE!
HE’S ARISEN!
WE’VE A STORY TO TELL—
HOW JESUS SAVED OUR SOUL!
MY EYES HAVE SEEN—
MY LORD JESUS CHRIST!
AND IT IS ONLY—
BECAUSE JESUS LIVES!