The Importance Of The Resurrection

THE IMPORTANCE OF THE RESURRECTION

MATTHEW 28:6 – 7

He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. 7 And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you

WHEN YOU THINK OF EASTER WHAT DO YOU THINK OF?

NEW CLOTHES, BRIGHTLY COLORED EGGS, FAMILY GATHERINGS, ECT.

ALTHOUGH SOME MAY USE EASTER AS AN EXCUSE TO BUT A NEW OUTFIT, AS IF THEY NEEDED AN EXCUSE TO SHOP

AND YES THERE ARE BRIGHTLY COLORED EGGS FOR THE DELIGHT OF CHILDREN OF ALL AGES

AND THANK GOD THAT FAMILIES STILL GATHER TOGETHER WHEN EVER POSSIBLE

EASTER IS MORE THAN ALL OF THESE

MANY THINK OF EASTER ONLY IN TERMS OF THE DEATH OF CHRIST ON THE CROSS

WHILE WE ARE REMINDED OF THE DEATH OF CHRIST AT EASTER THAT IS NOT THE WHOLE MESSAGE OF THE SEASON

EASTER IS NOT A TIME OF MOURNING THE DEAD AND DYING, BUT IT IS A TIME TO CELEBRATE LIFE AND THE LIVING

CHRIST DIED ON FRIDAY, HE AROSE ON SUNDAY

EASTER IS A TIME WHEN WE ARE REMINDED OF THE IMPORTANCE OF THE RESURRECTION

THE OUTCOME OF HUMANITY WAS CHANGED FOREVER THAT SUNDAY MORNING 2000 YEARS AGO

UP UNTIL THAT DAY THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN GOD AND MAN WAS DISTANT BECAUSE OF SIN

ROMANS 5:12

Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:

ROMANS 6:23

For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

ALONG WITH DEATH CAME PAIN, AND SORROW, SUFFERING

BEFORE SIN CAME INTO THE PICTURE WE READ WHERE GOD DWELT AMONG MAN

AFTER SIN CAME TO MANKIND GOD STILL DWELT WITH THE RIGHTEOUS, BUT IT WAS ALWAYS BEHIND THE VEIL OF SEPARATION

BEFORE SIN THERE WAS NO NEED FOR THE SHEDDING OF BLOOD

AFTER SIN WITHOUT THE SHEDDING OF BLOOD THERE IS NO REMISSION OF SIN

BEFORE SIN THERE WAS NO SICKNESS OR DISEASE

AFTER SIN THE HUMAN HAS BEEN PLAGUED WITH SICKNESS AND DISEASE

AFTER THE FALL OF MAN IN THE GARDEN AND SIN BECAME A MAJOR ISSUE IN HUMANITY, MANKIND LIVED FOR MANY YEARS WITH LITTLE OR NO HOPE OF THINGS GETTING BETTER

BUT THAT CHANGED 2000 YEARS AGO

GALATIANS 4:4

But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, 5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.

WHEN CHRIST CAME TO THIS WORLD, HE DID NOT COME AS MANY THOUGHT HE WOULD

HE DID NOT COME AS A KING IN A PALACE, BUT AS THE LAMB OF GOD BORN IN A STABLE WITH A MISSION TO ACCOMPLISH, A GOAL TO ACHIEVE A PURPOSE THAT WOULD DRIVE HIM

FOR THE FIRST 30 YEARS OF HIS LIFE WITH THE EXCEPTION OF ONE INCIDENT AT THE TEMPLE AT THE AGE OF 12 THE ONLY THING WE KNOW OF CHRIST IS THAT HE LIVED AS ANY ORDINARY MAN

WHY?

HEBREWS 4:15

For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

ALTHOUGH GOD IS ALWAYS GOD, HE KNEW NOTHING ABOUT THE HUMAN FEELINGS OF HUMANITY UNTIL CHRIST CAME AND EXPERIENCED THE FEELINGS OF THE HUMAN RACE

ISAIAH 53:4

Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

FOR THE NEXT THREE YEARS

CHRIST WENT ABOUT WITH A MISSION OF RECONCILIATION

FOR THE LAST 3 YEARS OF HIS LIFE ON EARTH CHRIST SPENT HIS DAYS REACHING OUT TO HUMANITY WITH THE LOVE, MERCY, COMPASSION, AND GRACE OF GOD

THE FOUR GOSPELS ARE FULL OF THE MIRACLES THAT CHRIST PERFORMED WHILE ON THE EARTH

EACH MIRACLE WAS AN ATTEMPT TO RECONCILE THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN GOD AND MAN

AS WE CLOSELY STUDY THE HEALING MIRACLES THAT CHRIST PERFORMED, MANY TIMES BY MANS STANDARD THE PERSON WAS UNDESERVING

BUT CHRIST REACHING OUT TO THEM IN THE LOVE OF GODS LOVE COMPASSION, MERCY AND GRACE GRANTED TO THEM WHAT MAN MIGHT HAVE SAID THEY DID NOT DESERVE

THERE WERE THOSE WHO CHRIST FORGAVE THEIR SIN, HE NEVER CONDONED THEIR SIN, BUT WAS WILLING TO GIVE THEM ANOTHER CHANCE TO BE REUNITED WITH THE FATHER

YET THERE WAS MORE TO HIS MISSION THAN JUST MIRACLES

ALTHOUGH THOUSANDS WERE FED, MANY WERE HEALED, SOME EVEN BROUGHT BACK FROM THE DEAD, FOR THE MOST PART HUMANITY WAS STILL SEPARATED FROM GOD

BECAUSE OF THE SIN ISSUE THERE HAD TO BE BLOOD SHED