from the pastor's pen
As we celebrate Easter, let us consider what all that entails.
First was Good Friday when Jesus was crucified. The torture and pain Jesus suffered on our behalf was the plan of God to reconcile sinners to Himself. Without that we have no forgiveness, and we are still enemies of God. The wrath of God against our sin was poured out on Jesus.
It was on the cross that the justice of God and the love of God came together. The pouring out of wrath upon sin satisfied the justice of God. The death of Christ on the cross displayed the love of God. Jesus was 100% dead when He was placed in the tomb. The apostle's creed states that "He descended into hell" ( the lower parts of the earth with the dead).
However that is not the end of the story. When Jesus cleansed the temple the pharisees asked by what authority Jesus did this. they asked for a sign. Jesus told them that if they destroyed this temple (His body) He would raise it up again in three days. He did exactly that. Jesus came out of the grave. No other god has done this. Only Jesus is alive, and He sits on the throne in heaven.
It was the apostle Paul that gave us the great chapter on the resurrection in 1st Corinthians 15 where he writes " but if Christ has not been raised from the dead then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain" (v.14) " if Christ has not been raised, your faith is empty and you are still in your sins" (17) " but Christ has been raised from the dead" (v. 20) And since Jesus has been raised, we have hope. not just in this life but also in the life to come. If we have trusted Jesus for our salvation, then we can be confident that God will accept us not on our merit or good works but because of Jesus who took our sins away. And because of this fact we can say with joy in our hearts, "He is risen, He has risen indeed"!
First was Good Friday when Jesus was crucified. The torture and pain Jesus suffered on our behalf was the plan of God to reconcile sinners to Himself. Without that we have no forgiveness, and we are still enemies of God. The wrath of God against our sin was poured out on Jesus.
It was on the cross that the justice of God and the love of God came together. The pouring out of wrath upon sin satisfied the justice of God. The death of Christ on the cross displayed the love of God. Jesus was 100% dead when He was placed in the tomb. The apostle's creed states that "He descended into hell" ( the lower parts of the earth with the dead).
However that is not the end of the story. When Jesus cleansed the temple the pharisees asked by what authority Jesus did this. they asked for a sign. Jesus told them that if they destroyed this temple (His body) He would raise it up again in three days. He did exactly that. Jesus came out of the grave. No other god has done this. Only Jesus is alive, and He sits on the throne in heaven.
It was the apostle Paul that gave us the great chapter on the resurrection in 1st Corinthians 15 where he writes " but if Christ has not been raised from the dead then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain" (v.14) " if Christ has not been raised, your faith is empty and you are still in your sins" (17) " but Christ has been raised from the dead" (v. 20) And since Jesus has been raised, we have hope. not just in this life but also in the life to come. If we have trusted Jesus for our salvation, then we can be confident that God will accept us not on our merit or good works but because of Jesus who took our sins away. And because of this fact we can say with joy in our hearts, "He is risen, He has risen indeed"!
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