The resurrection is the greatest theme in the biblical account. Every true born child of God should be deeply connected to the resurrection of Christ. Preaching that is not resurrection based is not truly preaching. It is a theological travesty that we have relegated the resurrection to an annual celebration. But to the Apostle Paul the resurrection was the very life of Christianity. The Apostle declared that if Christ was be not risen; all else is in vain. Apart from the resurrection everything else is meaniningless and minute. The proper view of the resurrection is a life altering-experience.Nothing soothes the sorrowful heart like the joy of the resurrection. It will turn a sick room into a sacred place. It will turn a death-bed into a heavenly chariot. The resurrection will turn a dying hour into an eternal morning. The resurrection reminds us that in the midst of all our opposition, we are more than conquerers. Let us be reminded to day that the greatest news on this side of heaven came from an emtry tomb. "Come and See the Place Where they laid Him." Come qand see the clothes where He left them. Come and See the defeat of death. Come and See the removal of the rock that enclosed the the tomb. Come and See the scattered rocks trembled during the shaking earth. Come and See the weeping Marys. Come and See the fear of his hidden disciples. Come and See the courage of John, the beloved disciple. Come and see that the tomb was empty. They wepted when they should’ve rejoiced. They should’ve rejoiced because Mary’s baby and God’s Son had conquered death. Weep at the tomb but rejoice in its emptiness. I invite all ye thatare heavy laden to Come and See the Place Where They Laid Him. Those of you that are sick with divers diseases, come and see. Those of you that the doctor has abandoned, Come and See. Those of you that are wheel chairs , Come and See. Come and See his triumph and his choice to use the inanimate preaching to be the first hearalds of the gospel. The Stone decalred I couldn’t hold Him. The graveclothes declared we were on Him but He vanished out of our grip. He that was born in a virgin womb was buried in a virgin tomb. He left the graveclothes behind because Adam’s clothes were an offspring of sin. The clothes were left neat and orderly to show that Jeus did not struggle with death. He simply ease out of the constraint of the graveclothes. The dead in Christ will rise by imparted power, but Christ got up under His own power. He laid down His life for His friends. Alll that connected Him to sin was borrowed. His body was borrowed. His tomb was borrowed. He carried our sins. He rode a donkey that was borrowed.
Let us consider the following Resurrection lessons:
I. The Seal of a Finished Work.
II. The Sign of Glorious Triumph.
III. The Salvation of Sinners.
IV. The Supremacy of Christ.
V. The Source of the Believer’s Joy.
VI. The Suggestion of a Coming Resurrection.
VII. The Surety of a Future Judgement.
Conclusion: If Christ be not risen, all of our faith is in vain.
May God Bless and Keep You
Pastor Rodney L. Johnson Sr.,
Historic Bethlehem Baptist Church
Hahnville, LA.
70057
