Drawing More Power From Christ's Resurrection

Drawing More Power From Christ’s Resurrection

This Easter we are besieged with scandalous attacks against the divine power of Jesus Christ with the DaVinci code, the gospel of Judas and the ABC series called the Jesus papers. Each of these heinous attempts to discredit, delude and deceive people are a result of a faulty view of Christ the resurrection and the life. Let us see how Christ’s resurrection made an impact on people of the first century. In our hearts let us ask God to teach us how to draw more power from His resurrection to overcome all the flaming darts of the wicked one so we can be victors and not victims in a world of doubt, fear and uncertainty.

Key concept: God . . . has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. —1 Peter 1:3

Illus.: “Where Was the Key?”

A father and his little girl were staying in a hotel. During the night the girl became very ill and without warning she died. The father was heart-broken. He had already lost his wife and now his precious little girl was gone. Only two people followed the body to the cemetery—the father and a minister. The father’s grief was great. At the grave he took from his pocket a key, unlocked the casket and looked on the face of his child once more, the silently closed the casket and handed the key to the keeper of the cemetery.

On the way back to the city, the minister quoted Rev.1:18: “I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and hades.” “But what is that about the keys?” asked the grieving man. “It means this,” said the minister. “You think the key to your little girl’s casket is in the hands of the keeper of the cemetery. But let me tell you something. Its not true! The key to your little girl’s grave hangs at the side of the Son of God. Then the light broke through the man’s tears and he saw the glory of the resurrection.

1. Christ’s resurrection gives us the assurance that all things done in the name of Jesus and for His purposes, will be victorious. Even though many Christians realize this truth they still live in with self-doubts. Many people wonder where they can get the power to witness to their friends? Others wonder how they can overcome their discouragement, troubles and fears? Peter states an outstanding fact when he says, "Men of Israel, Jesus was a man accredited by God to you with miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you." (Acts 2:22)

Not only were these works a sign that the Messiah had come, but that God would work great ministries through those who trusted in Christ’s power.

Ask the Lord to help you to fully appropriate ALL the power, purposes and plans that the Lord has for you and your people.

2. Christ’s resurrection shows how God’s purposes, processes and plans are always perfectly fulfilled. Peter resisted the temptation to point a finger of judgment at the Jewish elders and teachers of the law in this passage. Instead, Peter focus on Christ’s sufferings and subsequent resurrection proves God’s prophetic plan. Often, people need to have someone to interpret history for them before they are able to learn the most important lessons. Ask the Lord to help you correctly understand all that God’s purposes for your life, relationships and ministries through the struggles He allows you to experience.

3. Christ’s resurrection is used by Peter to explain the mysterious ways that God’s will unfolds. If you really want to learn how to know the will of God, just follow the exemplary life of Jesus Christ. The Jewish elders rejected Jesus Christ as the Messiah because He did not fulfill THEIR expectations. Consequently they missed out on the greatest opportunity of their lifetime. Christ’s resurrection has a way of showing all people that we may be rejected by men, but approved by God. Ask the Lord to help you to fix more of your emotional, mental and spiritual energies on following the footsteps of Jesus regardless of perplexing pathways.

4. Christ’s resurrection is used by Peter to show all ethnic groups of the world that we have Christ as our common way to truth, life and heaven. There are many religions and even theologians who would have us believe that finding God’s will is complicated. On the contrary, as we trust and obey what the Lord has revealed to us in Christ, we are clearly shown what to do on a day by day basis. Ask the Lord to help you bring all people groups toward Christ as a way of overcoming differences of opinions. Jesus is the key to all wisdom and knowledge. Jesus helps each sincere seeker find the true answers to the most perplexing problems of this life and the one to come.