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Luke 24:36-49
We invite you to join us for worship each Sunday morning at 9:30. You can also download our service at Baptist-Christian at iTunes. The magnificent doctrine of the resurrection permeates Scripture in both the Old and New Testaments. In addition to the resurrection of Christ which has already happened, and Christians celebrate today, there are two more resurrections to come. The resurrection of the saved to be reunited forever with Christ, and the resurrection of the unsaved where they will meet God face to face at the Great White Throne Judgment! Because the empty tomb stands as a testimony to the risen Savior the resurrection is a true, historical reality! Let’s consider just three of the many reasons the resurrection of Christ is real!
I. CHRIST’S PREDICTIONS! One of the many titles The Lord Jesus wore perfectly is “Prophet.” One of the most demanding requirements for a true Scriptural prophet was that all they predicted had to come true just as they predicted it would. Of course the truth that Jesus Christ is God in the flesh, and the One controlling all world history and events, doing only as the Father instructed Him, could not be wrong ever! Read Heb. 12:2 and John 11:25, 26. Jesus is the Lord of the living, not the dead. As sure as Christ was raised from the dead, so will every human being who was ever conceived. The question is then, where will you spend eternity?
II. CONSUMMATE PROOF! Read 1 Cor. 15:5-9. From Genesis to Revelation the Scriptures offer consummate proof that God is, and that He alone in His sovereignty directs all history. God has revealed Himself in Scripture, throughout history, in creation, eye-witness testimony, even extra-Biblical records and accounts many people still choose to reject His existence. Just as the people in Jesus’ day kept asking for signs, so they could believe, when He did offer “proof” they still rejected it. The question is “what proof might you be demanding of God that the resurrection will work for you? If the empty tomb isn’t enough, perhaps it’s not a matter of needing proof, but seeing the proof already given! Finally, let’s consider
III. COMMEMORATION PRACTICED! Most all who practice the Judeo-Christian religion consider the first day of the week, Sunday, to be a day of worship. The empty tomb was the reason the disciples, and those with them worshipped the Risen Savior. Sunday was the first day of the week and for the early Christians it was sacred, because all firsts were sacred to God. Paul tells Timothy in both letters to him to keep the hold of the faith and don’t quit preaching the gospel which Christ brought to life because of His resurrection. It’s a shame that the national symbol for Easter is now a rabbit or egg, instead of an empty Cross! We are in that time Christ predicted when people will turn from the truth of the Gospel and fall away into sin! How we are different from those first century Christians who were as anxious to go to church and worship as most are today to get out of church and go play!
If you are one who believes and holds to the resurrection of Christ as the consummate proof of a living Savior, and He is your Savior, then you have a proper view of Easter! If you however, don’t understand the true “heart” meaning of the resurrection, call us at (574) 643-9419 and let us introduce you to the Lord Jesus Christ and show you what new life in Him is like!
