Daily Devotions

Yesterday as we celebrated the resurrection of Jesus from the dead pretty much in isolation as a church family, I thought of the great price Jesus paid for all mankind to offer them forgiveness of sin and salvation (John 3:14-18).
Think of it: He (God the Father) looked around the hill and foresaw a scene. Three figures hung on three separate crosses. Arms spread. Heads fallen forward, as they moaned in agony.
Men dressed in soldier’s garb sat on the ground near the trio. Women clad in sorrow huddled at the foot of the hill, faces tear-streaked.
All heaven stood to fight. All nature rose to rescue the only begotten Son of God. All eternity poised to protect. But the Creator God gave no command to do so. On the contrary, He turned His back on His Son. “It must be done” He said.
The angel spoke again. “It would be less painful.” The Father interrupted and softly said, “Yes, but it wouldn’t be love.”
For any disciple of Christ, the promise is simply this: The resurrection of Jesus is proof and preview of our own resurrection.
The apostle Paul wrote in 1 Thessalonians 4:14, “For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep (died) in Jesus will God bring with him.”
But can we trust the promise? Is the resurrection a reality? Are the claims of the empty tomb true? This is not only a good question. It is THE question. Paul also wrote in 1 Corinthians 15:17 this: “And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.” In other words, if Christ has been raised, then his followers will join him; but if not, then his followers are fools.
The resurrection of Jesus from the dead, then, is the keystone in the arch of the Christian faith.
As Jesus said to Martha in John 11:25-26, “…I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believeth thou this?”
Martha said in verse 27, “Yes, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.”
Can you say, “Yes, Lord, I believe!”